A third of China’s pigs is about 200 million animals. China’s pork industry is so large that this is almost the amount of pigs in the US and Europe combined.
The estimate about the number of pigs to be lost comes from a Dutch bank which specializes in the agricultural sector.
African Swine Fever is harmless to humans. It was first reported in China last August and has now spread to Cambodia, Mongolia, and Vietnam.
One farmer lost his entire stock of pigs, 20 thousand animals. At one point he was losing up to 800 pigs a day.
The government has taken swift action, culling thousands of animals if one of the herd tests positive for the fever. There are plans to cull more than a million animals.
China is the world largest consumer of pork and it will be interesting to see how imports are affected with the 62% tariff imposed on pork exports by the US government. Will Europes pork industry be able to produce enough to overcome the shortfall?
One fringe industry who could benefit: tattoo artists. Pig skin is used for tattoo practice, and with so many dead pigs, aspiring artists should have no problem finding fresh canvases.
