July 24, 2007

China sends out inspection teams to curb blue-ear disease

China's Ministry of Agriculture dispatched another 20 inspection teams to the country's 60 pig production bases on Monday to curb the spreading of blue-ear disease and ensure the pig supply to stabilize the pork prices.

There are now 30 inspection teams traversing the country and gathering statistics on live pigs, especially sows and learning from farmers the actual difficulties faced, according to Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai. The inspection teams would also explain the government's preferential policies to pig breeders to persuade farmers, to take up pig farming again, he added.

Sun said the information collected by the inspection teams would be used in drafting further supportive policies.

Pork prices have continued to rise despite the government's efforts to encourage pig breeding with subsidies. China is having a prolonged pork shortage due to pig diseases cutting down on pig numbers and high feed prices which discouraged farmers from raising pigs. 

The wholesale price of pork in China surged 74.6 percent in June compared with the same month last year.

Despite the high prices, many farmers are still leery of raising pigs, fearing the pigs might contract the disease despite government subsidies and insurance for sows.

Blue-ear disease remains a severe challenge to China's Yangtze River valley despite the fact that the outbreak had been basically brought under control.

Rising feed prices and higher slaughters of sows and piglets earlier in the year to avoid disease losses were also responsible for the present shortage.

Experts said prices would continue to rise in the second half of the year as supplies would only come in full strength towards the end of the year.