China prepares for more pork production

China's decision to reduce import taxes on pork is a clear sign of interest on the part of the Beijing government in facilitating foreign purchases, members of a Brazilian delegation have commented while visiting a trade fair in Guangzhou. They have been attending the China International Foodstuff Exposition to develop partnerships with Chinese pork importers, as Brazil gears up to add China to the list of destinations for its pigmeat. Sources in Brazil have also referred to the whole Asian market as "one of the most promising for Brazilian pork".

Within China there have been further moves by the National Development and Reform Commission to respond to the pork shortages that followed pig disease outbreaks and severe weather conditions. Some RMB2.8 billion has been allocated from the commission's central budget to add to the promotional programme that has already seen the establishment of several production pyramids. Those completed to date represent 20 000 commercial units backed by 375 multiplication sites and 55 basic breeding farms. Also on the commission's agenda is making extra funds available for helping to restore pig numbers in the area in which the May earthquake struck that killed over 3 million pigs and in other regions hit by severe snowstorms in the 2007/08 winter. Provinces lined up to receive funding include Anhui, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Shaanxi as well as Sichuan.

Other reports from China say the authorities are to build a frozen meat depot at Zhoukou City in Henan province, with capacity for storing 10 000 tons. Zhoukou is a major meat production centre: about 5.2 million pigs were produced in the area during the first half of this year. The city's annual meat processing capacity is put at 728 200 tons. State frozen pork reserves in China are rotated every 4 months.