Constant demand for pork from Asian countries affected by African swine fever virus (ASF), such as China and Vietnam, has raised pig prices in France over the past four months. For the same meat on March 21, they asked 1.283 euros in the market.

Over this period, the price of the pig finisher has grown by almost 22%, ”says Philippe Malletroix, director of the French company Genesus Inc. in France.

In June, China increased pork imports by 62%, according to official figures and EU member states such as France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands or Denmark have every opportunity to take advantage of the situation, given the fact that Beijing is waging a trade war with the USA and, more recently, with Canada. However, this creates a deficit in their domestic markets and raises prices.

To date, official figures from China show a 23% reduction in its breeding stock, and according to local observers, this figure could increase by 50%.

In addition, Vietnam reported a rejection of 10% of its national pig stock due to outbreaks of ASF in 62 of the 63 provinces in the country. Both countries have a high level of pork consumption, and demand is expected to grow in the coming months as domestic supply decreases.

Since February, pork prices in Spain and France have risen by 30%, and analysts expect them to increase further in the second half of the year.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the situation with ASF in Asia is seen as a threat to food security on the continent. Without a vaccine that could stop the spread of the disease, this situation can last at least ten years. Until last year, China held half the world's pig population.