Reuters reports China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is showing a 6.4 percent higher decline in the total Chinese swine herd due to the spread of African swine fever (ASF). September’s data shows a 38.7 percent decline, while July’s data indicated 32.3 percent. ASF is now endemic across every province in mainland China. Learn what this is doing to pork prices and how China plans to combat it.
Source: The Pig Site and Reuters, September 16, 2019. Link. Chinese Vice Agriculture Minister Yu Kangzhen said the ASF situation is still “severe.”
INSIGHTS: In recent history, China has had more pigs than all other countries combined, so an almost 40 percent drop in the herd is remarkable to say the least. This should also be encouragement to continue following the strictest biosecurity protocols possible.