November 4, 2011

To meet local demands, an additional 30,000 tonnes of meat importation has been proposed by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from now until the year end.

If approved, it will help to raise the total volume of imported meat to 120,000 tonnes in 2011, the newspaper said, adding the country already imported 85,249 tonnes of meat during the first nine months, up 4.5% on year.

During January-September, the country imported 71,000 tonnes of chicken products, nearly six tonnes of pork and 7.6 tonnes of beefs.

Meanwhile in southern provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ba Ria Vung Tau, traders offer live pigs for VND48,000-VND50,500 (US$2.29-2.40) per kilogramme, up VND3,000 (US$0.14) per kilogramme compared to mid-October.

They also agreed to raise purchase prices of chicken by VND8,000 (US$0.38) to VND32,000-33,000 (US$1.52-1.57) per kilogramme.

Surging export of live pigs to China attributes to the price increase, the newspaper explained.