The mapping is not official. But the picture has "devastating proportions". These are the terms used by Coldiretti to describe the situation resulting from the spread of Blue Tongue in Sardinian farms. "Hundreds of confirmed cases", writes the association, "from north to south, from the western coast to the eastern one. And many others are being ascertained". The outbreaks are widespread throughout the region and from the few cases of a few weeks ago, to today the blue tongue "is reaching devastating proportions" for farms that are suffering serious losses of animals and huge damage to turnover.
"The appeals we made at the beginning of the year to the Region to promptly activate a plan for this summer for the administration of vaccines and to support farmers in purchasing pesticides were of no avail . Instead, the immobility of the Agriculture and Health departments, in particular, have led to an unsustainable situation for our farms, with serious responsibilities", underline the president and director of Coldiretti Sardinia, Battista Cualbu and Luca Saba.
According to a survey by the association of breeders in the regional territory, the entire island and all the provinces are now affected by the spread of the sheep disease with cases increasing sharply, day after day.
Among the most serious situations «those recorded in the Cagliari area where the blue tongue does not spare either the eastern or western coast. From Sulcis, where the first outbreaks were recorded, the farms of Iglesiente, the Guspini and Arbus areas are now seriously affected, moving on to the Campidano area and arriving up to Sarrabus-Gerrei. Outbreaks are also expanding strongly in the Oristano area, particularly affected in the areas from Ghilarza to Cuglieri, from Sedilo to Bonarcado, passing through Paulilatino, San Nicolò Gerrei, Uras and Marrubiu».
The province of Nuoro is not immune either, "with a rapidly evolving situation with many cases being ascertained also in the Nuoro area but with cases already widely confirmed in Baronia and Ogliastra. In Northern Sardinia, Gallura remains the area with the most outbreaks which have also put the beef cattle sector in crisis due to the block on movements".
Even in this case, Coldiretti has repeatedly asked for the vaccine to be provided to avoid what promptly happened. "Despite these requests", is the accusation, everything is still at a standstill. But there are many sheep farms in great difficulty with strong concerns also in the Sassari area where more than one suspected case has been reported".
A situation that is defined as "unacceptable, considering the appeals and requests that we had made to the Region this year, starting in February, highlighting, already then, how the high temperatures and the imminent drought were increasing the concern for what was expected in the summer", recall the president and director of Coldiretti Sardinia, "instead of having an effective plan ready and a specific fund for these situations, given that this plague has been repeated for over twenty years, everything remains unresolved. The political colors of the government change but nothing changes: this situation is embarrassing".
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)