Pig prices drop sharply, farmers limit herd restoration at year-end

(Baonghean.vn) - This year, due to the continuous sharp drop in live pig prices, hundreds of pig farming households are suffering losses; therefore, herd restoration at the end of the year in localities is limited.

Every year, at the end of September and the beginning of October, pig farmers in Quynh Luu district often increase their herds to provide food for the Lunar New Year market.

However, this year, due to the continuous decrease in live pig prices, hundreds of pig farming households have suffered heavy losses, so the herd restoration at the end of the year in most localities has been limited, and the number of pigs has even been reduced from this time.

Mr. Le Van Loc in hamlet 10, Quynh Giang commune regularly maintains 50 pigs in the barn; at the end of the year, he increases the total herd to 110 - 120 pigs and is busy with care and disease prevention to supply the year-end market.

However, this year, he only maintains the herd at the initial level of 50 pigs and will sell half of the quantity in the next few days. Mr. Loc shared that in 2017, his family had a very hard time raising pigs, prices were low, sometimes only 20,000 VND/kg; consumption was poor, so there were some old pigs that could not be sold, because they depended on traders.

Many pig farms in Quynh Luu district reduce their herds at the end of the year. Photo: Hong Dien

Since the beginning of the year, Mr. Loc has lost more than 90 million VND in expenses, not including wages. Because the livestock industry has not improved, combined with the fear of further losses, he has no intention of increasing his herd in the last months of the year.

As for Mr. Nguyen Van Khai in Hamlet 1, Quynh Dien Commune, although he has just sold 50 pigs, he does not dare to restock. After learning that prices are very unstable, whether or not pigs can be sold depends on traders. Because he does not want to be in debt, Mr. Khai accepts to leave his pig pen empty at the end of the year.

"I have been involved in pig farming for decades, but I have never seen pork prices drop as dramatically as this year. Since the beginning of the year, my family has lost more than 100 million VND. I am currently regularly following the news, waiting for the situation to change and if the price changes for the better, I will continue to buy pigs to raise.

Because the market price of live pigs has not changed to an upward trend, many households are only raising pigs sparingly. Photo: Hong Dien

According to the plan, Quynh Luu district set a target of raising 54,000 pigs in 2017, but only achieved over 43,000. Due to heavy losses, the number of pigs in large farms concentrated in the communes of Quynh Tan, Tan Son, Quynh Tam, Quynh Giang... and small-scale farms in the last months of this year is showing a sharp decline.

According to Mr. Dau Duc Nam - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district, in the last months of the year, pig farmers often increase their herds to serve the Tet market, but this year, pig prices are low, so pig farming is moderate, not increasing sharply like every year. Faced with this situation, localities have encouraged people to maintain their pig herds to ensure food supply at the end of the year, develop the economy and increase income.

Red Face