China revises sow herd target for the next 4 years
China has revised downward its sow herd target for the 2021-2025 period. In a document presented by the Ministry of Agriculture, the new target is set between 37 million and 41 million sows for the next 4 years. The previous was of 40-43 million head.
"As long as the stock of breeding sows is kept within a reasonable range, piglet production will be assured and the supply of the hog market and hog prices will be kept relatively stable," the ministry said in a statement. China's pork prices have plummeted in recent months, pushing the country's swine farmers into the red amid an oversupply due to efforts to quickly rebuild its breeding herd after an African swine fever epidemic.
In August, official reports revealed an increase of 37% in China's sow herd compared with the same month of 2020. In Thursday's statement, the Ministry of Agriculture said that stocks of breeder stocks would be categorized into three zones - to help authorities bring stocks within normal levels.
The "green zone" would show the sow herd inventory fluctuating within a normal range and would require no action, although it would be monitored regularly.
Authorities would need to act if the stock enters the "yellow zone", indicating a sharp fluctuation, or the "red zone", meaning "excessive fluctuation" of more than 10% on either side of the normal level.
China will keep records of farms that send more than 500 pigs for slaughter each year, the ministry said.
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