Pig producers are urging the government to eliminate the 2kg allowance for personal pork imports to align with new measures aimed at protecting the sheep sector.

There has been a rising issue of pork products being illegally brought into the UK, often from regions affected by disease, in large quantities through personal luggage and private vehicles.

The National Pig Association (NPA) has expressed concern that this poses ‘the greatest risk’ for introducing notifiable diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF).

In September 2022, rules were introduced banning imports of pork products exceeding 2kg to address the increasing threat of ASF in Europe and other regions.

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Since then, approximately 100 tonnes of illegal products have been confiscated at the Port of Dover alone, but this is believed to be just a fraction of the total.

The NPA argues that the 2kg limit is ‘unnecessary’, complicating enforcement for authorities and causing confusion for travellers, and is advocating for a complete ban instead.

This request follows a recent total ban on personal imports of certain sheep and goat products, including meat, cheese, and milk, to protect Britain's sheep and goat populations from peste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreaks.

While PPR does not threaten human health, any outbreak in the UK could be ‘very damaging’ to the farming industry, according to Defra last month.

NPA senior policy adviser Katie Jarvis voiced growing concerns within the pig sector as ASF continues to spread across Europe, with several new cases reported in Germany over the summer.

She said: “Alarmingly, the disease has travelled significant distances across the country, and this spread, as is often the case, is partly a result of human activity.

"The news from Germany has served as a stark reminder of how far this disease can travel, particularly when aided by people.

“With that in mind, we believe there should be zero tolerance on personal imports of pork products to minimise the risk of anyone importing a product that is carrying ASF."

She added: “As Defra has announced the suspension of personal imports of certain commodities to safeguard Britain’s sheep and goat populations, we can see no reason at all why this should not be extended to pork products.”

The NPA recently joined 26 other livestock and meat organizations in signing a letter to Defra secretary Steve Reed, urging the government to reassess its funding for checks on illegal meat imports at Dover and to review the effectiveness of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

This comes amid increasing concerns that flaws in the new border control system, including low inspection rates, are allowing commercial imports from ASF-infected areas to enter the UK unchecked.