Pork Quarterly Q1 2019: Another Uncertain Year – with More Complex Disease and Trade Issues

As 2019 gets underway, we see another year full of potential in global pork, with growth in production and demand in many parts of the world. Yet this is overshadowed by the uncertainty created by complex disease and trade issues, as can be read in the just-released RaboResearch report ‘Pork Quarterly Q1 2019: Another Uncertain Year – With More Complex Disease and Trade Issues’.

Report summary

Rising disease pressures are challenging the global market. “African swine fever (ASF) stands out as the single biggest challenge facing global pork in 2019,” according to Chenjun Pan, Senior Analyst – Animal Protein. “The changes ASF will bring create opportunities for some, and threats for others.” China’s need to lift imports will incentivise continued growth in key exporting countries, but how much pork China will import remains ...

China Confirms New African Swine Fever Outbreak in Guizhou Province

China's agriculture ministry on Friday reported a new outbreak of African swine fever in the southwestern province of Guizhou, which has killed 42 pigs on a farm of 156 pigs

China has already reported more than 90 cases of the incurable disease since it was first detected in the country in early August ...

China Confirms New African Swine Fever Outbreak in Fujian Province

China on Thursday said it had confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in Fujian province, as the highly contagious disease spreads through the world's largest hog herd.

The outbreak in Sanming city in Fujian killed 27 animals on a farm of 11,950 pigs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on its website ...

China Reports first African swine Fever Outbreak in Guangdong Province

China confirmed on Wednesday the first African swine fever outbreak in southern Guangdong province, as the highly contagious disease continues to spread through the world's largest hog herd.

The outbreak in Zhuhai city in Guangdong province killed 11 animals in a slaughterhouse, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on its website.

Guangdong is a major pork consuming region and heavily relies on supplies from other provinces. The first outbreak of the disease reported there will likely further push up prices in the region, analysts said.

Hog prices in Guangdong province were around 16 yuan ($2.32) per kg on Wednesday, up 10 percent since early August, when the country reported its first African swine fever outbreak, according to data provided by consultancy China-America Commodity Data Analytics, due to a ban on live hog transport ...

China Reports New African Swine Fever Case in Central Province of Hubei

China's agriculture ministry said on Wednesday it had confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in the central province of Hubei.

The disease killed 4 out of 821 pigs in Luotian county, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on its website.

China has reported around 50 outbreaks of the African swine fever since...

USDA Lifts Restrictions on Some Pork Imports from Poland

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has agreed to lift restrictions on imports of some fresh and frozen pork from Poland that were put in place October 18, 2018 due to potential risk from African Swine Fever (ASF). After an expeditious review of export protocols, APHIS has notified Poland that we are lifting restrictions on all establishments located in the contiguous free zones. We are retaining restrictions on raw product and heat treated, but not fully cooked, product from two establishments while we complete a more thorough review.

Last week, APHIS announced it was suspending entry of all imports of fresh and frozen pork from Poland while it completed a review of that country’s export protocols. There is minimal animal health risk posed by any pork products imported recently into the U.S. from Poland. There is no human health risk, as humans are not susceptible to ASF.

USDA continues to work to ensure consistency with the stringent, longstanding safeguards in place that... 

USDA’s “Beagle Brigade” Helping to Prevent African Swine Fever from Entering U.S.

When Hardy, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trained detector dog, sniffed out a roasted pig head in traveler baggage at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport early this month, it underscored the efforts USDA and its partners are undertaking to keep African Swine Fever (ASF), a swine disease that could devastate the U.S. pork producers, from entering the country.

USDA continues to train dogs at its National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia. The center is designed and equipped to train detector dog teams (canines and handlers), like Hardy’s, to safeguard American agriculture. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and...

ANALYSIS: A Deeper Dive into the Ban on Pork Imports from Poland

While the U.S. is a net pork exporter, selling roughly 20-25% of our production to overseas customers, imports also play a key role in the overall health of the market. Of the countries that the U.S. imports pork from, Poland is up there on the list. Specifically...

PODCAST: Potential Pork Predicaments with Russell Barton

France Calls for Measures after African Swine Fever Found in Belgium

French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert called for protective measures on Thursday following reports that African swine fever had been detected in wild boars in Belgium near the French border.

The virus, highly viral for pigs but not dangerous for humans, has been spreading in Europe, mainly in the eastern part of the bloc where it has lead to the culling of hundred thousands of animals.

"The confirmation today of the presence of the virus in Belgium represents a new progression of the disease, which requires an adequate response given the ...

Pork Industry Focuses on Feed Ingredients to Combat African Swine Fever Threat

With the expansion of the current outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China, the National Pork Board is working with industry partners to help keep the United States free of ASF and all other foreign animal diseases (FADs). This includes focusing on the importation of feed ingredients, a key area of potential high risk of disease transport.

“Keeping trade-limiting foreign animal diseases, such as ASF, out of the United States is critical to pork producers,” said Steve Rommereim, National Pork Board president and a producer from Alcester, South Dakota. “We all need to improve...