You may not be able to buy prosciutto soon — here’s why

In late August, one of Giovanni Airoli’s sows in Italy tested positive for African swine fever.

Within a week, all 6,200 sows, piglets, and fattening pigs on his farm near Milan were culled to prevent the disease from spreading further and threatening Italy’s pork industry valued at 20 billion euros.

Since the outbreak of swine fever in January 2022, Italy has culled nearly 120,000 pigs, with three-quarters of them being slaughtered in the past two months as the crisis worsened.

“It’s a desolation,” Airoli said, expressing his devastation at the situation in Lombardy, the epicenter of Italy’s swine fever epidemic.

Despite following all safety measures, Airoli was puzzled by the outbreak on his farm and lamented the loss of his livestock.

The disease has seen a surge with 24 outbreaks in early September, primarily concentrated in Lombardy.

The affected area spans 4,500 square kilometers, including Piedmont and Emilia Romagna, renowned for its Parma prosciutto production.

Aside from domestic pigs, wild boars have also been infected, leading to restrictions in a 23,000-square kilometer area.

Swine fever, fatal to pigs but not harmful to humans, has caused significant damage to Italy’s pork industry, estimated at 500 million euros by Coldiretti, a prominent agricultural lobby group.

The government has appointed a special commissioner, Giovanni Filippini, to address the epidemic, implementing strict measures to contain the disease and prevent further outbreaks.

International import bans on Italian pork products have resulted in a significant loss of exports, affecting the sector’s revenue and posing a threat to livelihoods.

Despite challenges, farmers like Airoli and Sergio Visini are taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of swine fever on their farms.

As the crisis continues, the Italian pork industry faces production limitations and price spikes, impacting the availability and affordability of products like Parma prosciutto.

With ongoing efforts to control the outbreak, farmers remain hopeful for a resolution to the swine fever epidemic and an opportunity to improve animal health and welfare in the industry.