TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan on Saturday warned against sending pork products from Spain following an outbreak of African swine fever in the EU country.

Recipients of illegal pork parcels from overseas will be fined NT$200,000 (US$6,400) on the first occasion and NT$1 million for a second time. Importing the pork products by express or as freight could result in a prison term of up to seven years and a fine of NT$3 million.

The diagnosis of two dead boars found near Barcelona with the fever ended 31 years without the virus in Spain. While there are no direct flights between Spain and Taiwan, there are direct mail links, so there is a risk of the fever spreading, the Liberty Times reported.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said it had added Spain to the list of countries with African swine fever outbreaks in the last three years. As a result, the import of hogs and pork from Spain by ship or plane was banned beginning Saturday, with illegal products having to be destroyed or sent back.

Taiwan is the second largest pork importer behind Canada, importing 25,452 tonnes in 2023 and 16,019 tonnes in 2024. The authorities are planning to intensify border checks to prevent illegal imports.

Following the end of the outbreak in Taichung, Taiwan is planning to apply for a return of its swine fever-free status next year. Importing pork products from Spain would pose a risk to those plans, the authorities said.