August 15, 2020

South Korea to produce more local black-colored pigs as demand for premium pork rises

Due to rising demand for premium pork products in South Korea, concerned authorities said it is speeding up the production of the local "heukdon" breed of pigs for distribution to local farms. This breed is a type of black-colored pig that is fattier and tastier than other domestic pigs, according to a Yonhap report.

The demand for premium pork was noted after imports of the prized black Iberico pork increased. “Local consumers' demand for premium pork products has been increasing recently, leading to a hike in imports of black Iberico pork", the Rural Development Administration said in a statement, Yonhap said. "We found it necessary to promote our own breed in sync with the changing demand."

Under the project, the agency plans to supply some 400 heukdon pigs to 20 farms across the country starting this month.

It said the pigs can reproduce to reach 50,000, or a quarter of the total number of black pigs being raised here.

The report said local farms currently raise around 190,000 black-colored pigs, of which 87% are imported breeds.

The Rural Development Administration also said the heukdon pigs could create wealth of around 17.6 billion won (US$14.8 million) when they replace the local demand for imported Iberico pork, as per report.