Pork prices fluctuate constantly

It is now a golden time due to the high demand on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, but pork prices constantly go up and down, so pork farmers are afraid to re-herd.

In a short time, live pork prices have constantly fluctuated in Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province. Photo: Vu Dinh Thung.

Constantly change oppositely

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, in Phu Thuan village, An Duc commune (Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province), with 15 years of raising porks as the primary income source for his family, this time has most changes in prices than ever.

Mr. Binh said that in the last days of October, he sold 20 porks. The weight is 80 kilograms per head, with a price of VND 33,000 per kilogram. But just a few days later, live pork prices suddenly increased to VND 44,000 per kilogram. After that, live pork prices continued to rise to VND 50,000 per kilogram.

Meanwhile, the extra-lean pork price on farms raised based on biosecurity is VND 53,000-55,000 per kilogram.

On October 31, live pork prices suddenly dropped to only VND 42,000 per kilogram. The extra-lean pork price is VND 45,000 per kilogram.

Mr. Nguyen Quy from An My commune, Hoai An district, who sold more than 40 porks on days when the price increased, shared: "My family just sold more than 40 porks for VND 49,000 per kilogram. I have about 30 porks for sale in November. Live pork prices have increased, so I am motivated to invest in 300 breeding porks."

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Binh in Phu Thuan village, An Duc commune, farmers will boldly re-herd if Live pork prices are stable from VND 50,000. The cost of Pidu breeding porks that farmers raise now decreased from VND 1.4 million to VND 700,000 per head. Therefore, the breeder will be profitable.

"However, animal feed prices are still a big challenge for farmers. I have been raising porks for 15 years and have never seen low-priced feed. Prices go up, stabilize, then rise again. From the beginning of the year until now, animal feed prices have increased by nearly VND 100,000 per bag. Farmers are only supported VND 5,000-7,000 per bag by agents," said Mr. Binh.

In the context of fluctuation in live pork prices, with the high cost of animal feed, farmers keep hesitant to re-herd even though it is about the Lunar New Year.

Ms. Tran Thi Le in Luong Loc village, Phuoc Hung commune, Tuy Phuoc District, Binh Dinh province, regularly raises 700 porks, but there are only about 100 porks now.

"In livestock production, you have to accept erratic prices. What I fear the most is the epidemic. African swine fever is still swift off in many localities. If I re-herd and the porks get sick, I will run out of capital. Therefore, I have to be careful," Ms. Le confided.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 16 large livestock enterprises maintain and develop with a total pork herd of up to 6 million heads, accounting for 23-24% of the country's whole pork herd. With this proportion, the live pork market always "looks" at prices from these businesses. As a result, live pork prices may continue to increase because of high demands at the end of the year.

Encourage re-herd, pork raising towards biosecurity

In An Nhon Town, Binh Dinh province, from October 27 to 29, Live pork prices fluctuated from VND 48,000 to VND 50,000 per kilogram but now have dropped to VND 40,000.

Mr. Huynh Tien Thao, the owner of a pork farm in Nam Tuong 2 village, Nhon Tan commune, An Nhon town, has converted from conventional pork farming to biosecurity to ensure the pork herd's safety. In ​​600m2-wide two farms, Mr. Thao raises 30 breeding sows to source breeding actively and regularly maintains 300 porks for selling.

"Raising porks towards biosecurity can minimize disease transmission in the context of African swine reoccurring. In particular, we can flexibly extend the farming time if the market is not favorable, reducing pressure on farmers", said Mr.Thao.

According to Mr. Dao Van Hung, Deputy Director of Binh Dinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, from the first nine months of 2021, the total pork herd in Binh Dinh province reached 639,250 heads, down 2% over the same period last year. The pork herd in Hoai An district was just 195,000 heads, down 6.4% over the same period in 2020.

Currently, Binh Dinh province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development encourages households and pork farm owners to maintain their herds to ensure output for demands at the end of the year.

"We guide breeders to save input costs thoroughly. For example, reducing the number of wind exhaust fans in pork houses to save electricity cost or the way to mix feed for porks to reduce input costs."

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked provinces and cities to encourage and adopt re-herd in large-scale livestock farms. While there is no vaccine to prevent and control ASF, farms focus on raising them towards biosecurity to control the disease and ensure food safety and hygiene.