Animal Welfare
Harald Schottner / pixelio.de 
RUSSIA, Krasnodar. The pig count in Krasnodar Krai, south Russia, has risen by nearly a fifth after officials tackled an epidemic of Afric an swine fever (ASF), the state’s regional statistical service reports.
The southern part of the country was worst hit by the disease in 2008–2012, with the pig population reduced by nearly a third, from 1 mill. to 320,000. The population has now increased by 18% to 459,000 heads. At the end of 2015, the region was visited by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who instructed authorities to support the revival of the pig industry.
According to Russian veterinary body Rosselkhoznadzor, Krasnodar Krai’s struggle against ASF could spread to other regions. Additional impetus to the revival of pig farming in Southern Russia is likely in 2016 thanks to the new federal law on the confiscation of agricultural land from companies which do not use it in accordance with the purpose on the license, or do not use it at all. The new rule will allow new agricultural land to come into use for an additional 497,200 head of pigs.
It is expected that by 2020 the pig population of the region can be nearly fully restored to nearly a million heads. At the same time, according to information from the regional Agricultural Ministry, the main per formance indicators of the industry will be much higher than in 2008. ASF has changed the way the regional pig industry operates. Previously, it accounted for 45% of small farmers, using outdated technologies and with low levels of efficiency. In 2008–2012 most of them lost their assets, as a result of which today private farming accounts for only 1.6% of the region’s overall meat production.
Source: Krasnodar Krai’s statistical service