HCMC – Vietnam has given the green light for the import of pigs from Thailand for the purposes of both farming and slaughter from June 12 to bring down domestic pork prices that have skyrocketed due to the scarcity caused by the African swine fever epidemic.
Thailand was chosen as the supplier as its wholesale prices of hogs currently range between VND55,000 and VND60,000 per kilo, lower than Vietnam’s current prices averaging VND95,000 per kilogram.
Pham Tran Sum, director of Viet Duc International Nutrition Company, informed Nguoi Lao Dong Online that the firm is finalizing dossiers for the import of pigs for slaughter in Vietnam and is expected to receive the first batch of 2,000 pigs early next week.
Following the information, local pig prices dropped slightly to VND86,000 to VND87,000 per kilo. When Thai pork is launched in the market, domestic prices may fall to below VND85,000 a kilo, Sum noted.
On June 11, Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien tasked the Animal Health Department with issuing detailed guidelines on quarantine measures for the imported pigs in line with existing regulations to prevent diseases and ensure the safety of domestic herds.
The department director is also responsible for ensuring coordination with inter-sector agencies at ports of entry and local authorities to strictly manage the live imports.
