On Thursday, the agriculture ministry said that they are now loosening the rules on the transport of breeder pigs and piglets in provinces that have been affected by the African swine fever virus.
The move, which comes after Beijing reported 90 cases of the disease since August, is said to ensure that pig production and pork supplies remain high in the country.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, breeder pigs and piglets from areas without outbreaks will be allowed to be transported to othe rprovinces. Meanwhile, those from infected counties will be allowed to move within infected provinces.
The statement also said that market pigs produced at farms with high biosecurity levels in infected countries can also be included, sold to either slaughterhouses with 150,000 pigs per year or those with above slaughtering capacity.
Beijing has previously banned pig transport from regions with the outbreak, reducing prices in major areas that sell pigs to other regions. The ban had also given problems to farmers because they had to raise their pigs to much more than their usual capacity.
The Ministry of Commerce had also said in a statement out on Thursday that they will be looking into increasing pork supplies and other alternatives during the New Year and Spring Festival holidays.
