ASF devastates a herd of pigs in northern China

Industry sources and analysts in CHINA say a wave of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks has killed at least 20% of northern China's breeding herd. Reuters' analysis explains that this exceeds expected losses and heightens concerns about the potential impact of ASF in the south of the country.

it is likely that the deadly swine disease returned in the first quarter of 2021 after a year of declining new outbreaks. The presence of ASF is a major setback for China's efforts to rebuild its swine herds after previous ASF outbreaks in 2018 wiped out 50% of the country's pigs.

The impact of ASF slowed towards the end of 2019 due to the reduction in the number of pigs. Large pig producers have also learned to minimize the spread of the virus by removing infected pigs from the herd proactively, a process referred to in the industry as "teeth extraction".

But an exceptionally cold winter, higher pig densities after a year of recovery, and new strains of swine fever have sparked a new wave of outbreaks in the northeast, northern China and Henan, the country's third-largest hog-producing province.

“At least 20% of the herd, and maybe even 25% in the northern and northeastern provinces of China, were lost due to outbreaks in the first quarter,” said Jan Kortenbach, CTO of feed company Wellhope-De Heus Animal. nutrition.

A report from the founder of Cifco Futures says that Henan has lost between 20% and 30% of breeding sows and that the damage could be "irreversible".

Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant Ltd reported last month that pig numbers in northern China fell 25-30% in March from February.

Food security is a sensitive issue in China, and the government has confirmed several outbreaks of African swine fever since the virus began to spread. Numerous industry insiders have described the impact as more severe than official figures suggest.