Hungary is deploying all available resources to combat a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), according to Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy, who described the virus as a "terrible" threat to the country's livestock in a radio interview on 6 April.

An emergency animal health task force has been established with authority to act beyond ministerial powers and coordinate with law enforcement agencies. "The real question here is whether we can protect Hungary's livestock," the minister stressed, underscoring the urgency of the response.

To help affected livestock farmers, the government has introduced a temporary loan moratorium. During the moratorium, borrowers are protected from loan termination due to non-payment of principal, interest or fees, he added.

FMD is a contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and pigs. Hungary is currently addressing its first outbreak of the disease in over 50 years, with significant efforts underway to contain the virus and prevent further spread.

The first FMD outbreak was reported at a cattle farm with 1,400 cattle in the country's northwestern region near the Slovakian border in early March. It seemed the disease had been contained, but it later appeared in Slovakia and has since been identified at several farms in two northwestern counties (Gyor-Sopron, Komarom-Esztergom).

Strict movement controls have been implemented, particularly in the two counties bordering Austria and Slovakia. Austria has closed down two dozen of the 30 border crossings with Hungary on the weekend, but the main Hegyeshalom-Nickelsdorf crossing remains open.

The transport of susceptible animals to other regions and countries has been heavily regulated to prevent further spread, and military personnel have been deployed to assist in containment efforts, establishing disinfection points at border crossings and highway exits in the northwest region. Military personnel has been involved in the culling of thousands of animals since the first outbreak.

The outbreak has led to trade restrictions, with several EU countries and the United Kingdom suspending imports of susceptible animals and related products from Hungary and Slovakia.

The FMD crisis could deal a serious blow to Hungary’s agriculture sector, which accounts for 5-6% of the country’s GDP. The sector's total output last year fell 8% to HUF4 trillion (€10bn).