China's Sichuan to bolster hog industry

CHENGDU, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Sichuan Province has announced a plan to bolster its hog industry, aiming to increase the output value of the entire industrial chain to more than 390 billion yuan (around 57.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022, local authorities said.

According to the plan, the number of hogs for slaughter in the province is expected to reach 60 million in 2020, while the figure will increase to 65 million next year.

Measures will be taken in major aspects such as developing standardized pig breeding, supporting small and medium-sized farmers, cultivating brands, and enhancing disease prevention and control capabilities.

Pork is a staple in the Chinese diet and accounts for more than 60 percent of all meat consumed in China.

As a major hog producing province, Sichuan saw around 48.53 million hogs for slaughter last year and produced more than 3.53 million tonnes of pork, accounting for 8.9 percent and 8.3 percent of the country's total, respectively, the provincial department of agriculture and rural affairs said.

Since last year, China has implemented a string of policies to stimulate hog production and stabilize pork prices affected by African swine fever and other factors.