Reuters reported on Thursday that a new strain of African swine fever has emerged in the pig farms of China’s major pork producers, which could have a new impact on the country’s pork market.
The report cited Yan Zhichun, chief scientist at New Hope Liuhe, China’s fourth-largest pork producer, as saying that thousands of sows on the company’s farms and pigs contracted to farmers for fattening have been infected with two new strains of African swine fever.
He added that although the two strains will not kill pigs as they did in the outbreak that ravaged the country two years ago, they will lead to a reduction in the number of newborn healthy piglets. To avoid spreading the virus, they and many other large producers will cull sick pigs.
The outbreak of African swine fever two years ago halved China’s population of 400 million pigs, and to this day domestic pork prices remain high, forcing the Chinese government to further strengthen Food safety efforts during the New Crown (CCP virus) outbreak.
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