China pushes for swine fever subsidies to help pig industry get back on its feet
- Agriculture ministry says breeders need support after battling dozens of outbreaks since August
China is urging rural governments to offer temporary subsidies to pig breeding farms and large-scale producers to help stabilise hog production, as the worst disease outbreak in years threatens to slash pork supplies.
The agriculture ministry outlined measures on Friday to ensure a quick return to stable pig production, including subsidies for breeding farms and support for small producers seeking to scale up.
China, the world’s biggest pork consumer, has reported 114 outbreaks of African swine fever since August, although many in the industry believe it is worse than officially reported.
The disease kills around 90 per cent of pigs and there is no cure or vaccine. Around 1 million pigs have been culled so far to contain the disease although many more could have died in unreported outbreaks. The disease is not harmful to humans.
Analysts forecast that hog production could fall by as much as 30 per cent this year, threatening to send prices soaring.
The ministry said it was necessary to support breeding farms to resume production as soon as possible. It also urged provincial agriculture departments to release temporary subsidies for breeding farms “as soon as possible”.