News

China’s pork consumption something to watch

A livestock market economist says the on-again-off-again purchase pattern from China adds even more volatility to the US hog market.

University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says it’s something pork producers need to monitor.  “We get strength one week – depending on the news that we get,” he says.  “And we get weakness the following.  I think that continues to play into where these pork markets go.”

He tells Brownfield he’s also watching how the country’s pork consumption has been trending.  “We’re starting to see some signs of a pretty rapid decline in consumption,” he says.  “So maybe the growth in trade we’ve all been hoping for might not be as large as we had anticipated.”

Pork prices in China have been on the rise as the country has failed to control the spread of African Swine Fever.

AUDIO: Scott Brown, University of Missouri