China Live Hog Price Plunges on Rising Disease, Growing Supply

Oct 30, 2023

China's live hog price fell almost 7% on Monday from a week ago, the biggest weekly decline this year, as fresh disease outbreaks led farms to send more pigs to slaughter for an already over-supplied market, said analysts.

Prices in the world's top pork market hit 14.06 yuan ($1.92) per kilogramme, according to data from Shanghai JC Intelligence Co Ltd, the lowest since late June.

"On the one hand, this is due to concentrated selling in some areas due to the impact of swine diseases," said analysts at Huachuang Securities in a note on Sunday.

Farmers often send pigs to slaughter before the herd becomes infected by spreading disease, depressing prices.

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Pat Hoffmann, Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health tells us about the impact of New World Screwworm. The emergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. creates a threat for veterinarians, livestock producers and pet owners that has not been seen north of the Florida Keys since the fly was eradicated from the United States more than 50 years ago. New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae feed on living tissue and can affect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, companion animals, wildlife, and even humans.
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