Taxpayers could be landed with a £2 million-plus bill for un-used bluetongue vaccines, Welsh Conservatives have learned.
The party understands that the Assembly Government is trying to sell-off more than 4.6 million doses of the vaccine at half price before their use by date expires next month.
Details obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that five million doses of the vaccine were ordered under a contract with supplier Meriel. Some 4.6 million of those remain un-ordered by wholesalers who are now trying to sell them off at half price before August. If all the vaccine doses are sold at half price - 22p - taxpayers will be left to foot the bill for the difference, estimated at £1.02 million.
But it is thought many of the doses will go unsold, leaving taxpayers with an even bigger bill of around £2.03 million if none are sold. A maximum of 7.5 million doses were needed for Wales, 2.5 million of which were provided by supplier Intervet and which have now all been sold.
Simon Hart, the Welsh Conservatives' Parliamentary candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, who obtained the information, said: "Farmers who acted responsibly on Assembly Government advice and bought early will probably now be wishing they had hung on and got these vaccines at half price.
Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Brynle Williams AM, added: "I have a great deal of sympathy with those who vaccinated early and could pay twice as much as those who have waited."
And he stressed, "If farmers don't use these vaccines they will go to waste, taxpayers will foot the bill, and the disease could spread. I have repeatedly tried to encourage farmers to taker up this vaccine, however many are waiting until this month to get maximum protection for their animals."