China’s battle with African swine fever (ASF) has undoubtedly taken a toll on the country’s supply of pigs, which has led to surging prices in pork.
The Guangzhou government is addressing this problem by implementing 10 measures to stabilize pork prices, which will run through the end of September, according to Guangzhou Daily. One of the ways the southern Chinese city looks to tackle the issue is by adding 1,600 metric tons of frozen pork reserves into circulation, which are discounted by 10% off the average market prices. As the swine population continues to fall as a result of a growing number of ASF-infected pigs, tapping into pork reserves and supplying the meat to supermarkets, schools and hotels, among other establishments, is expected to keep pork prices relatively stable while the government continues to address ASF.
Image via OrangeCLK/Weibo
Meanwhile, the city is continually calling for a more concerted effort to increase pig production, among other areas deemed important for the development of pig breeding. Guangzhou is also looking to ramp-up chicken, duck and fish breeding, as well as stabilizing the fluctuation in fruit and vegetable prices. Guangzhou Daily reported that over the first half of 2019, China’s chicken, beef and lamb output rose by 5.6%, 2.4% and 1.5% over the same period last year.
According to CNN, some cities in China have resorted to limiting the quantity of pork that consumers can buy. For example, in Guangxi’s Nanning city, citizens are limited to purchasing 1 kilogram of pork per day (although it’s not clear how this rule is being enforced).
China has also been relying on other countries’ pig supply, with a notable 54% increase in pork imports from Europe in the first half of 2019. ASF, however, is spreading far beyond China’s borders, with Vietnam suffering major losses to their pig population this year while the Philippines just reported its first cases of ASF on Monday.
Explainer: Here's Why Pork is Getting Much More Expensive in China
[Image via @早报网/Weibo]
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