July 12, 2007

Livestock industry in China's Sichuan records healthy growth in H1 2007

Sichuan's livestock industry had continued to register healthy growth in the first half of 2007, according to data provided by China's Ministry of Commerce and Sichuan's Livestock and Food Bureau. Output and demand for livestock products in the province had improved during the half year in review.

Sichuan's total meat production reached 4.85 million tonnes in the first half of 2007, an increase of 7.98 percent compared with the same period last year. Total livestock production value is estimated to have risen 8.42 percent on-year to RMB48 billion, accounting for 58 percent of the province's total value of agricultural output.

In Jan-Jun 2007, Sichuan's hog slaughters had increased 7.36 percent on-year to 45.6 million heads while pork production was up 7.92 percent on-year to 3.36 million tonnes. Pork sales to other provinces were at 600,000 tonnes for the first half of 2007.

Meanwhile, slaughters of cattle and sheep in Sichuan were at 1.18 million heads and 11.16 million heads respectively in the first half of 2007, an increase of 4.88 percent and 5.8 percent compared with Jan-Jun 2006.

Beef and mutton prices in Sichuan continued to hover at close to record levels in June. According to government data collected from 36 locations within the province, beef and mutton prices were at RMB19.31/kg and RMB21.78/kg respectively, up by an impressive 17.7 percent and 34.4 percent compared with June 2006.

RMB1=US$0.1322 (Jul 12)