P R O C E S S I N G
SWINE FEVER
CAUSES WAVES
The continued spread of ASF through
China’s pig population is resulting in
increased slaughter, transport bans and
volatile prices. Rabobank animal proteins
analyst Blake Holgate says there have been more
than 60 confirmed ASF cases scattered across
all of China’s major pork-producing provinces.
“While the majority of cases are in small-sized
farms, several larger-scale farms have also been
impacted,” he says. “Given the sheer size of
production and the fragmented structure, it will be
a great challenge for China to control the disease
spreading in the coming year.” Holgate says while
a decline in China’s pork production is clear,
Chinese pork consumption is also expected to
drop, giving rise to increases in the consumption
and import of other animal proteins, including
eggs, poultry, beef, mutton and seafood. “Beef is
not a major substitute for pork, however the pork
supply shortage in China will likely also push up
beef consumption,” Holgate says. “Given China is
already an important and growing importer of beef,
depending on how pork production and prices
develop, there could be increased demand from
China for beef imports over the coming months,”
he says. New Zealand has significantly increased
beef exports to China in recent times – exports
jumped 34% in volume and 38% in value during
the 2017/18 season and Rabobank says it is
well-placed to supply China should there be any
increase in demand for imported beef.
HALAL AND KOSHER
SLAUGHTER
PRACTICES BANNED
The ban, implemented on January
1, was proposed by Minister of
Animal Welfare Ben Weyts and
matches other countries such
as Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Slovenia and
Demark in disallowing the religious practices
to take place. New Zealand prohibits unstunned
slaughter, although Muslim halal and
Jewish kosher laws maintain that animals
must be in perfect health, meaning they
can not be stunned beforehand. In Europe,
it is law that animals are insensitive to pain
before being killed, with larger animals subjected
to a captive bolt device where a metal
rod is fired into the brain. Chickens and other
birds are often electrically shocked, or made
unconscious with gas. The faiths maintain
that this method is more humane, since the
animals die faster. Critics of the ban have
said the move violates freedom of religion
for the Muslim and Jewish population in Belgium,
of which there are 500,000 and 30,000
respectively out of a population of 11 million.
more than
60 confirmed
ASF cases
scattered
across all
of China’s
major porkproducing
provinces
The faiths
maintain that
this method is
more humane,
since the
animals die
faster.
New
Zealand has
significantly
increased
beef exports
to China in
recent times
– exports
jumped 34% in
volume and
38% in value
during the
2017/18 season
Critics of
the ban have
said the move
violates
freedom of
religion for
the Muslim
and Jewish
population
in Belgium, of
which there
are 500,000
and 30,000
respectively
out of a
population of
11 million.
African swine fever has the potential to
cause waves in the global meat trade,
agricultural banker Rabobank warns.
Belgium has banned
halal and kosher animal
slaughtering practices
after concerns about
animal welfare.
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