Brighter picture painted for pig farmers

Qiu Miaojun, deputy chief of Luchuan county, said, "There is an urgent need to promote the restoration of pig raising in Luchuan to bolster sustainable development of the local pork industry and improve people's livelihoods."

He said the local government has drawn up a special plan that includes providing subsidies and insurance to cover breeding sows brought in from other areas and buying advanced virus testing equipment to aid disease prevention and control. It will also invest 40 million yuan to relocate the national-level site for conserving the local breed to an area that is more suitable.

The county also plans to build an industrial park for pork production, with the inclusion of high-standard slaughterhouses and freezers to improve the security of supplies.

Qiu said the main obstacles to restoring pork production in the county include a lack of funding and expertise, adding that the ministry needs to provide the finances and talent required to help improve disease prevention and control and to promote modern technology in local pig raising.

To ensure the stable development of pork production, the plan also requires authorities to strictly carry out quarantine measures such as slaughtering all pigs suspected to be carrying African swine fever to prevent the disease spreading, and promptly providing subsidies to farmers whose pigs have to be slaughtered.

After the plan was announced, Wen, from the Luchan Pig Raising Association, began preparing to replenish his stock. He has chosen a new site for a pig farm to eliminate the risk of disease spreading through cross-infection, and will ensure the premises are well-secured with high walls, fences and insect-proof nets to minimize the risk of disease transmission.

"I think pork prices will remain high for some time, but I am confident that my business will recover," he said.

Similar efforts to replenish stocks have been made in many other areas of the country.