Measures taken to prevent ‘collapse of animal husbandry’

The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food has decided to extend the ban on the movement and slaughter of small ruminants throughout Greece in an attempt to control the spread of rinderpest - a contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals.

The move came after cases first appeared in Thessaly and Corinth in recent days, and one on Monday at a livestock unit in Aspropyrgos, Attica, which had reportedly received animals from Romania.

The measure will disrupt the market, but "it is a necessary one," breeders said. "Otherwise, we risk the collapse of the livestock sector," the president of the Greek Cattle Breeders Association, Panagiotis Peveretos, told Kathimerini.

In a statement, the ministry noted that "the upgrading of security measures is considered necessary for the entire country for preventive reasons and with the aim of limiting the...