Western Nghe An black pork costs 200,000 VND/kg but still not available to buy

Black pigs from Western Nghe An are currently priced from 150,000 to 200,000 VND/kg. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Although pork prices are currently decreasing in the market, in Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts... pork prices are still at record highs.

Mr. Cut Van Long - Chairman of Bac Ly Commune People's Committee (Ky Son) said: After the African swine fever epidemic, the number of pigs in the commune is very small; the price of live pigs over 30kg is 150,000 VND/kg, pigs under 30kg are priced at nearly 200,000 VND/kg. Currently, people in the commune want to eat black pork but cannot buy it.

"Families that work part-time and absolutely need pork have to order it from other localities," said Mr. Cut Van Long.

The number of sows in the highlands of Nghe An is not much, so breeding pigs are expensive. Photo: Xuan Hoang

As the largest pig-raising locality in Ky Son district, many villages in Huu Kiem commune still maintain a large herd of pigs. However, to have local pigs to raise, people have to accept buying them at high prices. Mr. La Van Ha - Vice Chairman of Huu Kiem Commune People's Committee said that the local black pig breed only weighs 3 - 4 kg and sells for 2 million VND, but there are none to buy.

Local black pigs are scarce, so traders transport pigs from the lowlands to slaughter and sell meat at markets. According to research, pork transported from the lowlands to the market ranges from 130,000 - 140,000 VND/kg.

Traders transport pigs from the lowlands to the western districts of Nghe An for slaughter. Photo: Quang An

At Muong Xen market (Ky Son), there are nearly 10 stalls selling pork, but there is no local black pork, but 100% of it is pigs transported from the lowlands. According to the pork sellers here, because the locals do not have black pigs to sell, they have to slaughter pigs from the lowlands. "If there were local black pigs to slaughter, the price of meat would be 200,000 VND/kg," said a pork seller.

In Tuong Duong district, some pig slaughterers said that for local black pigs, they only catch one occasionally, but the price is 150,000 VND/kg.

Because local black pigs are not for sale, traders at Muong Xen market, Ky Son district mainly slaughter pigs from downstream to provide food for people. Photo: Quang An

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ky Son district said: The local pig herd is growing slowly, due to the African swine fever epidemic, so breeding pigs are scarce, while the number of sows in the district is very small. This August, Ky Son district still has about 23,000 pigs.