China changes strategy on food security
The Chinese government wants to limit the impact of ASF or other diseases in the near future as the virus is now present in every province in the country.
Significant impact
The Chinese Minister of Agriculture has issued national proposals to divide the country into 5 regions in an effort to prevent the spread and control of ASF and other major diseases. Such a measure will have a significant impact in the Chinese marketplace, according to Lyle L. Jones, Director of sales China, Genesus INC.
“Meat Quality will be the new focus. Pigs must be slaughtered locally within their own region and cannot be transported live to outside markets. The “looks” of the pigs will not be important anymore. This new focus upon Meat Quality will address concerns over food safety, quality and consistency, increasing consumer demand and product acceptance in a positive way", explained Mr. Jones.
High biosecurity levels
Since August last year, the Chinese pig industry is fighting against the disease and, so far, multiple biosecurity measures have been adopted by major producers. Visitors to Company headquarters, offices and facilities must pass thru stringent biosecurity measures including enclosed chambers with disinfecting fogging systems before entering.
Vehicles must pass through washing stations and are sprayed down with disinfectants prior to entering premises. Trucks are outfitted with water cannons to provide mobile washing of vehicles along roadside points prior to arriving in farm sites with deliveries of feed and supplies.
Farms are designed with perimeter fences and transfer stations for everything coming into and out of the farm including feed, supplies, and pigs. Investments are being made in more transport trucks designated for certain tasks and specific routes between point A and point B. Modern Truck Washes and Drying barns are being built to clean, disinfect and dry trucks and trailers before and after use.
"All these measures and more are being adopted, implemented and perfected within the pork industry in China these days", said Lyle Jones.
Following the Russian model
The Chinese swine herd is expected to decline this year by 30% (200 million head) and the impact is already seen in growing imports of pork, beef, and poultry. A new set of subsidies is prepared to support these policies and the money will be poured into the construction of new slaughterhouses within local regions and that will accelerate the transformation and integration of the pork industry in China as well.
"We anticipate these supports to be targeted towards larger companies with dispersed production systems much the same as in Russia after ASF outbreak there.
Larger companies with dispersed production can better control and withstand intermittent ASF outbreaks. In Russia, it was 20 companies that received the government’s financial support. In China, the number of companies will likely be much larger but the effect upon consolidation within the industry will be much the same", added Lyle Jones.
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