African swine fever to cut China pork output at least 10%, warns UN
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says production will fall about 10% in 2019 and create an opportunity for global pork producers
London — An African swine fever outbreak is expected to cut China’s pig meat output by at least 10% in 2019 and present opportunities for producers elsewhere, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Thursday. The shrinking of the world’s largest hog herd will have a noticeable effect on meat and feed markets worldwide, with more than 1-million pigs culled in China so far in an effort to halt the contagion, the FAO said in a food outlook report. “With the sharp decline in pig inventories, the exponentially rising [feed] import trend, especially of soya beans over the past two decades could come to an abrupt halt,” the report said. The disease has also spread to neighbouring countries, notably Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia and Cambodia.
“The unfortunate prospect facing Asian producers could bring opportunities for [pork] producers elsewhere, particularly those in Europe, the US and Brazil,” the FAO said.“It is a rare combination of events that presents pig producers ...
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