July 6, 2026
 

Over 336,000 pigs and poultry dead or culled in Vietnam in first half of 2026 as ASF and bird flu intensify

Overall herd growth continued despite the surge, with pig numbers up 2.2% and poultry up 3.1% year-on-year by end of June.

More than 336,000 pigs and poultry died or were culled in Vietnam during the first six months of 2026 as outbreaks of African swine fever and avian influenza became significantly more severe than in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Vietnam recorded 697 African swine fever outbreaks across 28 provinces and cities in the first half of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 59.5%. A total of 94,583 pigs were infected, up 44.2%, while 96,134 pigs died or were culled, an increase of 48.3%.

Avian influenza outbreaks rose sharply, with 50 cases confirmed across 15 provinces and cities - 3.8 times higher than the same period last year. Infected poultry totalled 223,914 birds, up 8.3 times year-on-year, while 239,871 birds died or were culled, an increase of 7.7 times.

Foot-and-mouth disease moved in the opposite direction. Vietnam recorded 13 outbreaks in seven provinces and cities, down 18.2% year-on-year. Infected livestock fell 35.3%, while deaths and culling declined 61.1%.

Despite the deteriorating disease situation, the broader livestock sector continued to expand. Vietnam's pig herd grew an estimated 2.2% year-on-year by end of June, while the poultry population rose 3.1%. Live pig production reached approximately 2.86 million tonnes, up 4.8%, and poultry meat output totalled around 1.3 million tonnes, an increase of 5.6%. The Ministry attributed the sector's continued growth to the expansion of large-scale farming and biosecure production models.

- Saigon Giai Phong