April 25, 2007

China accounts for 51 percent of the world's pig herd

More than half the pigs raised in the world currently are in China.

China's pork consumption, currently at 38 kg per capita, is also above the world average.

The statistics were revealed at the third technical conference on pig diseases organised by the Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan City, Hubei province last week. The conference was attended by more than a thousand experts from more than 10 countries including the US, UK and Australia.

Head of Asia Pig Disease Research in the university Chen Huanchun said China's pig industry had developed rapidly in recent years and China has become a heavyweight pig producer on the world stage.

China's pig industry has grown an average of 14 percent yearly for the past five years.

China's pig herd in 2005 numbered 490 million, or about 51 percent of the world's total. The pig industry has become a pillar of China's rural economy and agricultural industry.

China also has a huge variety of pig breeds, with an important role to play in the preservation of pig genetics. According to estimates, China has 118 pig breeds, or one-third of the world's total.

China's Hubei province has had a long history in pig farming spanning several thousand years. Pig farming has become central to the province's economy. In 2006, the province produced 34 million pigs, with value estimated at RMB 30 billion  (US$ 4.4 billion).