Inside Pigs
Growth in Chinese pork imports slows down
Chinese pork import volumes are at record highs this year. More pork was imported in August than last year. However, growth is slowing compared to previous months and China is busy restoring the domestic pig herd.
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China wants to become largely self-sufficient in its pork production again after the African Swine Fever (ASF) has severely depleted the pig herd. Until China's pig population recovers, the country will import a lot of pork to meet domestic demand. Imports in August amounted to 350.000 tons, which is a doubling in volume compared to last year.
No German pork
Imports have decreased compared to July, when the import volume was a record 430.000 tons. Imports could slow further for the current month as Germany has reported ASF infections among wild boars. The country is no longer allowed to export pork to China and normally large volumes of German pork go to China. Germany is busy reaching a regionalization agreement with China so that exports from ASF-free zones can be resumed. These attempts have so far been unsuccessful.
Belgium, on the other hand, is allowed to export pork to Asia again. International pork exports there came to a standstill for some time because the country had lost its AVP-free status. In the meantime, no more ASF cases have been reported in the past 12 months and pork can also be exported outside Europe.
Domestic production
Total pork imports from January to August amounted to approximately 2,91 million tons. Compared to last year, this is an increase of 133,7%. Meanwhile, China is busy restoring domestic production and building up the pig herd. In July, the Chinese pig herd increased by 13,1% compared to the same month last year. Over the month of August, the pig herd realized an annual growth of 31% respectively.