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China’s struggles with ASF continue

China continues to struggle with African swine fever in its hog herds. 

The Chinese government recently confirmed two new cases of ASF in the Gansu province in northern China. Several other cases have been reported over the past month.

INTL FCStone analyst Arlan Suderman says despite the ASF challenges, the Chinese government continues to push farmers to rebuild herds as quickly as possible.

“The government is subsidizing insurance, trying to encourage producers—particularly the commercial operations—to rebound and to expand. But they’re having some real difficulties doing it,” Suderman says. “We hear a few success stories, but we’re also hearing of a lot of failures. But the insurance is subsidized, so they get their insurance money, and they go right back at it and try it again.”

China’s agriculture ministry says the frequent transportation of piglets and breeding sows has raised the risk of resurgence of ASF.

Suderman made his comments during a webinar on March 31.

African Swine Fever does not impact people and poses no food safety risks, but it is highly contagious and is a deadly virus that affects hogs.  Outbreaks have now been identified in Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Myanmar, North and South Korea, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Ukraine.