Large numbers of farmers and enterprises are now on the edge of bankruptcy as blue-ear pig disease ravages 15 cities and provinces across the country, experts said.

 

Figures from the department indicated a 40% drop in the amount of consumed pork in big markets across the country.

 

Pork prices have witnessed a sharp decrease since the pig disease recurred almost two months ago.

 

Pigs were now sold at VND17,000 (US$0.90) per kilogramme, down from VND24,000 (US$1.27), in the north, whereas the minimum price to cover costs was VND22,000 (US$1.16) per kg, said deputy director of the Livestock Breeding Department Nguyen Thanh Son.

 

Pork is also sold at below-cost price in the central region while the price of pigs has dropped by 7% in the south compared with the start of the year.

 

Even breeding pigs have experienced decreases between 10-15% in price.

 

"Pig breeding output has risen by only 3.5% over the past five months, which suggests a certain failure of the whole industry to reach the 10% increase by the end of the year," said Son.

 

"If these consumer trends continue, farmers will take a terrible financial hit."

 

Meanwhile, Hanoi authorities have asked Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to ensure uniform financial compensation for culled livestock nationwide to avoid sick animals being transported for better compensation offered in other areas.

 

Deputy chairman of the municipal People's Committee Trinh Duy Hung said compensation rates for blue-ear disease differed from place to place.

 

In a number of Hanoi's neighbouring provinces, including Hung Yen and Bac Ninh, farmers receive only VND18,000 (US$0.95) per kg of pig they have lost due to blue-ear disease whereas compensation payments stand at VND25,000 (US$1.30) per kg in the capital.

 

Hung said the city, one of the biggest poultry and livestock breeding centres in Vietnam with 1.67 million pigs and 16.8 million birds, had proposed that it could support pig breeders with VND50,000 ($2.60) per pig for medical treatment.