Epidemic bares fault lines in livestock sector

An epidemic of sheep and goat pox has highlighted long-standing weaknesses successful Greece’s livestock sector, with much than 1,100 farms affected implicit the past year and much than 260,000 animals culled.

From August 2024 done August 2025, authorities recorded outbreaks successful 1,148 herds, starring to the slaughter of 262,854 animals – astir 5 to 6 percent of the nationalist flocks.

A quality has erupted betwixt farmers and the Agriculture Ministry implicit work for the losses and compensation. Farmers accidental they cannot survive without income aft culls and impeach the authorities of offering promises alternatively of payments.

To item their grievances much emphatically, the husbandman are readying protests, opening with a rally connected Wednesday successful Larissa successful cardinal Greece.

For their part, state officials antagonistic that farmers person ignored biosecurity rules.

“The emergence successful cases successful caller months happens due to the fact that measures are not followed – there are amerciable movements of carnal and mediocre disinfection,” said Agriculture Ministry Secretary General Spiros Protopsaltis.

Veterinary prof Georgios Arsenos added, “If measures were applied, the epidemic would person ended within days.”

The ministry reported monthly cases climbing from 10,652 successful May to much than 55,000 successful July and August.

Arsenos said summertime saw widespread amerciable carnal transfers. He rejected calls for vaccination, saying nary effectual vaccine exists and use would marque the illness endemic.

Farmers, however, picture despair. One successful Farkadona was fined €10,500 for moving provender to quarantined animals. Others accidental delayed culls and deficiency of infrastructure amusement authoritative failures.

“They tell us not to merchantability beverage from infected herds and then to conscionable determination it away,” said livestock relation caput Dimitris Moschos.

In bid to face the increasing menace of the epidemic, the ministry has announced 10-day exigency measures to incorporate the spread. It warned that nationwide livestock question bans could travel if infections continue.