Albania approves 3 mln USD to compensate losses from cattle disease

Albania has approved a fund of 3 million U.S. dollars that will be used for the compensation of farmers whose cattle died from the lumpy skin disease, a government minister said on Monday.

"We have launched a new verification and identification process as well as the control of all documentation for the animals affected, the number of which so far goes to about 1,100 heads across the country," Albanian agriculture minister Edmond Panariti told reporters.

"We will purchase livestock and will begin the process of distribution. Of course, the animals are vaccinated and highly productive," he added.

Two weeks earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture started the second phase of vaccinations for lumpy skin disease across Albania.

About 50,000 free vaccines were distributed to help prevent the disease from spreading.

Panariti said Monday that the disease was fully under control in Albania after 900 cattle died across the country since the disease broke out months ago. Enditem