Essayah offers information, not aid, to swine fever zone

Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah visited the African swine fever infection zone in Miehikkälä on Monday, but made no promises of financial support, Yle reports. Local government leaders, entrepreneurs and the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, known as MTK, met the minister in southeastern Finland.

“Many questions remained open, particularly about what kind of support will come to southeastern Finland in this situation,” said Anne Ukkonen, the municipal manager of Miehikkälä, after the visit.

Fifteen cases of African swine fever have been confirmed in the Kymenlaakso region. The first infections were found on July 30, while the latest cases were confirmed last week. Hunters have found infected wild boar in Virolahti and near the Miehikkälä border.

Restrictions introduced to prevent the disease have effectively halted forestry work throughout the infection zone. The zone covers southern Lappeenranta, Miehikkälä and Virolahti, and includes about 100,000 hectares of forest.

People may collect trees that have been felled and left by roadsides or in the forest, and carry out forestry work without using motorised equipment.

MTK Southeastern Finland estimates that the restrictions will cut annual forestry revenue by about 45 million euros.

Vesa Hyypiä, chief executive of the Luukolmio forestry company in Luumäki, said half of the company’s machines were idle even though work was available in the forests inside the infection zone. The duration of the restrictions is unknown.

“I am seriously afraid that there could even be bankruptcies,” Hyypiä said.

The main improvement following Essayah’s visit will be the flow of information. Entrepreneurs, municipal decision-makers and interest groups in the region will receive more up-to-date information about how the disease situation develops.

Virpi Reinikainen, executive director of MTK Southeastern Finland, welcomed the improved information but said she was not counting on further government support for local businesses.

She said the visit had nevertheless created a feeling that the region’s concerns had been heard.

African swine fever is fatal to pigs but harmless to people and other animals. People can carry the virus, for example on the soles of their shoes after walking in an infected area.