August 15 festivities to go lamb-free as cattle plague outbreaks persist
Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras announced that traditional August 15 festivities will take place without lamb, hinting that slaughterhouses across the country are expected to remain closed next week.
“We will be without lamb on August 15,” Tsiaras stated in an interview with Skai TV.
On the same day, five new outbreaks of cattle plague were detected in Western Greece – three in Aitoloakarnania and two in Ilia. To date, 18,335 sheep and goats have been killed or are expected to be culled, according to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
Ministry sources indicated that efforts to eradicate the disease are ongoing, with veterinary services on high alert. However, they emphasized that the final decision on extending the ban on animal movement and slaughter will be made on Friday, based on the available data.
