United States’ Foreign Agriculture Service personnel in China say the country will increase pork production by 14 per cent this year.
But that will still be less than before African Swine Fever wiped out about half of China’s pig population.
Continued animal disease outbreaks will moderate the recovery, reported the officials who work for the United States Department of Agriculture.
The Foreign Agriculture Service forecasts China’s slaughter will reach nearly 600 million head this year, as large outfits centralize production and modernize facilities with increased biosecurity measures. Animal disease and low sow productivity rates, however, remain an obstacle.
China will continue to depend on pork imports, which are forecast to reach 4.5 million metric tons this year, the report said.
