Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said that the domestic pork supply isforecast to increase from February.
The pork supply is estimated to reach 330,000tonnes in February, and it will surge to 350,000 tonnes in March, 360,000tonnes in April and May, and 365,000 tonnes in June. It is expected to increaseto about 1.1 million tonnes in the third quarter and 1.15 million tonnes in thefourth quarter this year.
The total supply will reach over 4 milliontonnes of pork this year if the African swine fever epidemic is controlled,according to the ministry.
According to the ministry, the African swinefever epidemic is under control and many localities have focused on re-breedingpigs. Many localities have successfully reproduced pig herds, such as BacGiang, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Binh Dinhand Dong Nai, so those provinces have enough supply for themselves and even forneighbouring provinces and cities.
The country now has 24 million pigs,including about 2.7 million sows.
The ministry also said that in January 2020,Vietnam imported about 4,560 tonnes of pork, mainly from Germany, Poland,Brazil, Canada and the US. The imports were expected to continue growing in thecoming months.
The ministry asked local enterprises topromote pork imports, while State agencies had created favourable conditionsfor the quarantine of imported pork.
However, local pork importing businesses saidbecause of the African swine fever they faced difficulties in importing porkdue to the low supply on the global market. Meanwhile, pork exporters in othercountries usually produced enough pork based on export contracts signed atleast 3-5 months ago.
This epidemic had caused pork prices in Chinato soar, so Chinese enterprises had been willing to import pork at prices 20-30percent higher and in larger volume compared to Vietnamese businesses.
The ministry said pork imported from the USwas currently at higher prices than other countries, such as Brazil, Poland andAustralia, and had taken from 35 to 45 days to arrive by marine shipping.
Moreover, local businesses needed morecapital for importing pork because they must have deposits of tens of billionsof VND to import 200-300 tonnes per month.
At present, the novel coronavirus epidemichas also had a great impact on trade activities, including pork imports bylocal businesses.
Therefore, MARD has proposed the Ministriesof Industry and Trade and Foreign Affairs to offer more support to localbusinesses in finding pork supply at reasonable prices in the US and othercountries.
The Ministry of Finance needs to considerreduction of import tax for US pork while the General Department of Customsshould facilitate the customs clearance for imported pork.
Vietnam had 600 Vietnamese enterprisesimporting cattle and poultry meat in 2019. Of which, there were 150 businessesimporting pork, an increase of 50 compared to 2018.
Total imported meat volume in 2019 increasedby 17 percent and imported pork volume surged by 63 percent year on year./.
VNA
