China’s duck farmers are cashing in as African swine fever outbreak puts Chinese consumers off the nation’s favourite meat
- The deadly pig disease has reduced China’s hog herd by more than a quarter, according to official data
- As many as half of the country’s breeding sows are thought to have died or been slaughtered to cope with disease outbreaks
On a 30-hectare (74-acre) plot of land in China’s Shandong province poultry hub, more than half a million white-feathered ducks are busy eating, chattering and laying eggs to produce cheap meat for thousands of factory canteens.
With birds already packed into around 60 open-sided buildings, farm owner Shenghe Group is expanding further, aiming to raise output by 30 per cent this year to capture record profits as a plunge in pig numbers shrinks production of pork, China’s favourite meat.
The deadly pig disease has already reduced China’s hog herd by more than a quarter, according to official data. As many as half of the country’s breeding sows are thought to have died or been slaughtered to cope with disease outbreaks.
Pork production will fall by 30 per cent or about 16 million tonnes, say analysts at Dutch lender Rabobank, pushing prices to records and leaving a gaping hole in the country’s protein supply.
Higher pork prices – up about 35 per cent in a year – have already fuelled a surge in poultry meat demand. Chicken breast is about 20 per cent more expensive than a year ago, while duck breast has nearly trebled in price to 14,600 yuan (US$2,125) a tonne, according to Shenghe.