Farm Progress America, January 26, 2024

Mike Pearson tells listeners about how the hog industry has been impacted by African Swine Fever.

The outbreak began in 2018 in China and it devastated the hog industry. By 2020, there was 33 percent pork reduction in production.

ASF is a deadly and fast spreading disease with no vaccine yet available for the pork industry.

It is harmless to humans.

But recent data shows growth in the industry in China.

Pork is a vital food in China. Data shows that people in China eat 70 pounds of it per year compared to 50 pounds in the USA.

From 2020-2022, China produced 225 million hogs.

Pork prices doubled by 2019 but collapsed in 2022.

From 2014-2018, pork prices were around $16 Chinese Yuang and doubled to $40 Yuang before collapsing in 2022.

ASF has caused China to alter production practices and the slowdown has been used to build new housing facilities for hogs in China.

The outbreak in 2023 caused many pork producers to try and stay ahead of African Swine Fever outbreaks by selling their animals.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .