China simplifies environmental regulations for small pig farms

China's Ministry of Agriculture will no longer require small pig farms to obtain a government environmental permit before raising pigs as the country seeks to rebuild its pig herd after the ASF outbreak.

REUTERS reports that the move, which will reduce costs and red tape for small farmers, comes as CHINA tries to get them back into pig farming. The deadly African swine fever virus wiped out about half of the country's huge herd of pigs during 2018 and 2019 and has hit small farmers particularly hard.

For pig projects with an annual production of less than 5,000 HEAD, the environmental impact registration form must be completed online, without the need for approval of the environmental impact assessment by officials, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

China, the world's largest pork producer, still relies heavily on small farmers, but the ASF outbreak left them heavily indebted and hesitant to replenish their pig herd due to continued disease risks and lack of capital.

The Ministry of Agriculture warned that a recovery in China's pig production remains uncertain and that the risk of an outbreak of African swine fever remains "relatively high".

While China quickly rebuilt some of the lost stocks, there have been new outbreaks this year in northern China and southwestern Sichuan, with more strains of the virus circulating.

And this fact will be taken into account when preparing the monthly analytical report Meatinfo.ru