May 30, 2012

Taiwan's Agriculture Minister warns on too much hog supply

The hog farmers in Taiwan should maintain the limit for the headcount of animals that they are rearing because overproduction will result to pork price plunges, Agriculture Minister Hu Hsing-hua said Monday (May 28).

Hu said a supply glut is the main cause behind the recent steep decline in domestic pork prices.

"Therefore, we hope our hog farmers will abide by the regulations to maintain stability on the pork market," he said, the news agency reported.

According to local media reports, the Council of Agriculture (COA) has since early April asked city and county governments to investigate and fine pig farms that were exceeding their legal quota by 100% and more. The move, however, has drew strong protests from hog farmers, the reports said.

Hsu Kuei-sen, director of the COA's Animal Industry Department, said overproduction has become a rampant and serious problem and has resulted in a drastic slump in pork prices.

Meanwhile, hog farmers have complained that the government does not play fair, as it punishes them for overproduction, while buying up surplus grains at favourable prices, the news agency reported.