July 17, 2008

China's hog output for H1 up 3.7 percent, input costs to rise  

China's hog output in the first half of this year increased 3.7 percent from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Thursday (July 17, 2008).

Total meat output, including pork, beef, mutton and poultry, rose 4.8 percent on-year to 31.92 million tonnes during the same period, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture said prices in China are likely to remain high due to surging input costs, although production has rapidly recovered from low levels seen last year.

China's live hog stocks rose 10.6 percent by the end of June from a year earlier, the ministry said in a statement published on its Web site.

Supply tightness in live piglets will ease in the fourth quarter, but jumping fertilizer and labour costs as well as water and electricity costs will keep prices high, it said.

Live poultry stocks in the first half are expected to have risen 2 percent on-year to 5 billion heads, while output is expected to have risen 8.2 percent to 5.3 billion heads, according to the statement.

Beef cattle stocks are expected to have fallen 3 percent, while output may have declined 1.3 percent in the first six months on surging input costs, it said.

The ministry said cow stocks may have risen 8.3 percent on-year to 14.35 million heads, while the country's total feedmeal output is expected to have risen 11.2 percent to 59 million tonnes.