The Catalan government has launched a €10 million aid package for businesses and farms impacted by African swine fever (ASF) restrictions in the Collserola region, with the possibility of an additional €10 million in direct support. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig, alongside Economy Minister Alícia Romero, as part of a broader economic response to the outbreak.

Under the plan, €10 million will be allocated for direct, non-repayable aid to affected businesses in restricted zones, with a further €10 million reserved pending assessment of the outbreak’s economic impact. The Catalan Institute of Finance (ICF) has also opened a €50 million subsidised credit line for pork sector companies requiring urgent financial assistance, according to the government’s official announcement.

Eligibility for the non-repayable aid will depend on businesses demonstrating a 30% drop in revenue, calculated over the full 2026 fiscal year. The call for applications will be published in February 2027. While the exact number of affected businesses remains small, the government stressed the importance of targeted support to sustain local economic activity.

Support for Farms and Slaughterhouses

Farms within the restriction zone will be able to access the ICF’s €50 million emergency credit line, which became available this week. As of Wednesday afternoon, no applications had yet been submitted, Romero confirmed after a parliamentary meeting between the Economy, Agriculture, and Business departments.

The restrictions, initially affecting 64 municipalities in the Barcelona area, were expanded by the European Commission to 91 municipalities, severely limiting livestock movement and exports. The EU decision underscores the ongoing risk and the need for sustained containment measures, including night surveillance using drones, which the government has now contracted to reinforce.

We are not done yet. The goal is to achieve 'sanitary emptiness' and go one year without any positive cases.

Since the outbreak began, approximately 11,000 wild boars have been culled, reducing animal density in Collserola to between one and 1.5 per square kilometre. The government has invested nearly €100 million and deployed 300 perimeter closures to contain the spread, actions Ordeig described as among the most rapid and effective in Europe.

Next Steps for Affected Communities

Ordeig is scheduled to meet with mayors of affected municipalities in the coming days to request continued cooperation. Achieving a full year without any positive ASF cases is required before Catalonia can be officially declared free of the disease.

Businesses seeking financial support should monitor the ICF portal for updates on the credit line and prepare documentation of 2026 revenue declines ahead of the February 2027 application window. More information is available at catalannews.com.

Reported by beteve.cat, en.ara.cat, catalannews.com, El País, elpais.com, betevé.