Viet Nam could have a shortfall of 500,000 tonnes of pork, or nearly 20 per cent of demand, from now until the Lunar New Year in early 2020 due to the effect of African swine fever. — VNS Photo Van Chau

The price of pork with clear origins has increased sharply all over the country because of the impact of African swine fever (ASF).

At farms in the north and the south, prices have increased by VND5,000 - VND10,000 per kilogramme in the last several days. In the northern region they have gone up by VND4,000 in just the last two recent days.

In northern provinces such as Thai Nguyen, Hai Duong, Ninh Binh, and Hung Yen and Ha Noi, prices are at VND41,000 - 44,000.

Nguyen Van Thanh, a pork trader in the north, said prices are rising because traders are buying to stock for the end of the year festive season, especially Tet (the Lunar New Year), while the number of pigs is reducing rapidly.

ASF has broken out in 60 of the country’s 63 provinces and cities, and more than three million pigs have been culled, severely affecting the balance between demand and supply.

Pork prices in the south have increased from VND30,000 - VND31,000 to VND35,000 - VND36,000.

Nguyen Xuan Duong, acting director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s department of livestock production, said ASF had killed 15 per cent of the country’s pigs while the demand for pork in the last few months of the year is usually very high, especially during Lunar New Year when most traditional dishes are made from pork.

Prices would continue to rise from now, he said.

To combat this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had instructed businesses and farming households to expand their pig herds with close monitoring, he added. — VNS