News Pigs
US and Vietnam sign major pork deal
The United States and Vietnam have signed a $500 million meat deal. The deal will see Vietnam import more pork from the US as the country struggles to meet domestic demand due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
The Vietnam Trade Alliance will import $3 million worth of American pork over the next three years. The agreement between the two countries is known as the US-Vietnam Pork Consortium. Smithfield Foods and several other US pork producers have signed the deal and are supplying the pork to Vietnam.
US-Vietnam Pork Consortium will make a significant contribution to the total US exports of agricultural products to Vietnam. The US embassy reports that the deal will remedy the imbalance between the two countries and support US pig farmers and meat processors.
Export value is growing strongly
US pork exports to Vietnam have grown significantly over the years. In just 5 years, the export value has increased almost tenfold. In 2015, the value was about $4 million, while the export value rose to $8 million over the first 35 months of this year.
Vietnamese pig stock
Pork consumption in Vietnam accounts for as much as 75% of total meat consumption. The African swine fever outbreaks in the country have wiped out much of the domestic pig population. More than 43.000 pigs have been culled in an effort to control the virus and about 20% of the pig population has reportedly been lost.
The disease is not yet under control, with outbreaks reported in nearly 200 villages across the country in recent weeks in Vietnam. The country is busy with the recovery of the pig herd, in May a purchase of 20.000 sows from Thailand was announced. That does not have much effect, recent floods in the country have cost the lives of approximately 50.000 pigs.
Chanti Oussoren
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