Illustration photo.

According to market records, the price of live pigs on October 19 in Thai Nguyen decreased by 2,000 VND to 48,000 VND/kg; Tuyen Quang and Hung Yen decreased by 1,000 VND to 49,000 VND/kg. In Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc, the price of live pigs is also being purchased at around 48,000 - 50,000 VND/kg.

The wholesale price of live pigs has dropped below 50,000 VND, in which large livestock companies in the North have continued to adjust the price of live pigs by 500 VND to 48,000 VND/kg.

In the South, Mr. Nguyen Kim Doan, Vice President of Dong Nai Livestock Association, said that last week, the price of live pigs in the market showed signs of cooling down when many farms began to release pigs for sale. Currently, the price of live pigs is stable at around 52,000-53,000 VND/kg, down 2,000-3,000 VND/kg compared to the record high in September.

Mr. Tran Van Ha, owner of a pig farm in Gia Kiem commune, Thong Nhat district, Dong Nai province, said that he recently sold 45 pigs at 53,000 VND/kg of live pigs, the highest price in nearly ten years. Although the price of live pigs is high, many traders have offered to pay a deposit in advance to keep the relationship, but the farm does not dare to accept because there is not enough pig supply.

“At the current peak of live pig prices, farmers are sure to make a profit, but the current price of piglets is very high, making it difficult to re-herd in large numbers. On the other hand, it is difficult to predict whether the price of live pigs will remain the same as it is now in the next two or three months,” Mr. Ha shared.

An animal feed dealer in Dong Nai province informed: “The price of live pigs sold at farms is currently from 51,000 to 53,000 VND/kg, which is a good profit. However, most small farms have not yet paid off all debts from the previous crisis. Because the price of pigs has only increased in recent months, even if farmers restore their herds, it is not yet time to sell the new batch.”

The difficulty for farmers is that since the beginning of the year, the price of animal feed has been steadily increasing, increasing by 25,000 - 30,000 VND/25kg bag of feed. Pig prices have increased, and feed suppliers have also "cut" all support and promotion policies. Therefore, in reality, although pig prices have increased, pig farmers may not have as high a profit as many people calculate.

Small-scale farming has decreased sharply, but large enterprises and farms are still growing well, so the imbalance between supply and demand is only temporary. Although the price of live pigs is high, farmers should be careful when re-herding at this time because input costs are high, such as breeding pigs and animal feed, especially when the epidemic situation is complicated.