April 25 (BTA) - All industrial pig farms in Bulgaria can freely export locally farmed pork to the EU, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) said on Sunday.

The European Commission has eased the restrictions on the production of, and trade in pigs and pork, in 20 municipalities of nine Bulgarian regions where some of the largest pig farms are located. Based on the great results in fighting African swine fever (ASF) in 2019 and 2020, which were assessed positively by the EC's audits, the BFSA has presented to the Commission its view that the current principles of regionalization should no longer apply to the affected regions.

This is the second easing of restrictions in a month. In March, the European Commission eased the restrictions in five Bulgarian regions.

Communication between the BFSA and the EC continues regarding the other areas to which ASF regionalization still applies.

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Bulgarian farmers and traders are reporting an increase in imports of chilled meat and eggs at dumping prices in Bulgaria, the Consumer Protection Association said on Sunday, urging the BFSA to tighten control. The association has been alerted that eggs from Poland and lamb from North Macedonia of a dubious quality have swamped the Bulgarian market undercutting local prices by about 20 per cent.

A week before Easter, the price of live lamb is ranging between 6 leva and 8 leva per kilo, up by 15 per cent from 2020. Lamb meat is selling from 13.50 leva/kg to 19 leva/kg, says the Association. RI/DD