THE Europe-wide ban on English live pig exports will disrupt the struggling industry and have "very serious consequences" if it lasts any length of time, a leading East Yorkshire farmer warned this week.
The European Commission ban on the export of live animals and semen, which follows the first outbreak of swine fever since 1986, is expected to run until August 31 and will be reviewed by EU veterinary exerts on August 22.
John Rowbottom, who farms at Melbourne near York and is a member of the British Pig Executive and the Pig Association's producers' committee, said the ban was "purely and simply to be expected".
He added: "Hopefully it will be relatively short-lived, but it's serious and it's very disruptive while it lasts, and it could have very serious consequences for breeding companies if it was to go on for any length of time."
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