Coronavirus to slow recovery of Chinese pig herd, says Rabobank
3rd Mar 2020 / By Alistair Driver
Global pork supplies will decline further this year as coronavirus delays the process of restocking the Chinese pig herd, Rabobank has predicted.
In its latest global ASF update, the bank forecasts global pork supply will fall by up to 10% in 2020 after a record fall in stock levels last year, according to a new report from Rabobank.
Pork production in China declined by more 20% in 2019 as the nationwide ASF outbreak caused havoc within the world’s biggest producer and consumer of pork.
Coronavirus is currently disrupting pork shipments into China as parts of the country have been forced to shut-down, which is having an impact on the pork market.
And longer-term, it will continue to cause volatility on top of ASF, which Rabobank says continues to have the biggest influence on supply levels globally.
Rabobank’s analysts forecast a further 15-20% decline in pork production in China this year.
For more on this story, see Pig World.