(News Portal – Dong Nai) - According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam's pig farming industry is facing numerous challenges, especially the threat of dangerous infectious diseases in pigs, notably African swine fever (ASF).
Pig farm in Xuan Tho Commune, Xuan Loc District
Thanks to effective disease prevention measures, particularly in controlling ASF, Dong Nai has maintained a large pig population and ensured an abundant supply of pork for the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2025 market.
Rising Pork Prices
In recent months, pork prices have have been climbing as the year-end approaches. Currently, live hog prices range from 67,000 to 69,000 VND/kg, an increase of approximately 5,000 VND/kg compared to the beginning of the month. This price increase is attributed to the impact of storms during the rainy season, which caused significant damage to the livestock industry and required recovery time. The ongoing complex developments of ASF continue to heavily impact pig farming in many provinces and cities across the country.
Statistics from the Department of Animal Health show that since ASF first appeared in Vietnam in February 2019, the pig farming industry has lost over 6 million pigs due to the disease, which necessitated culling. From the beginning of 2024 to the end of November, there were 1,538 ASF outbreaks in 48 provinces and cities, resulting in the death and culling of nearly 88,300 pigs.
Dong Nai has effectively implemented disease prevention measures to maintain biosecurity in livestock farms. Disease prevention, quarantine, slaughter control, and the transportation of livestock and animal products in and out of the province have been strictly managed. Vaccination campaigns and livestock population surveys have been carried out effectively at the local level. Since the beginning of the year, the province has conducted three disinfection campaigns covering over 127,000 square meters of slaughterhouses and disinfected nearly 30,600 animal transport vehicles. Vaccination programs for livestock and poultry have been implemented comprehensively. As a result, Dong Nai has reported only four ASF outbreaks in 2024.
A Steady Supply
The rising live hog prices reflect increased demand during the year-end season, especially as consumer confidence improves. However, the pork supply in Dong Nai remains abundant, eliminating concerns about shortages or price surges, even during the peak Lunar New Year (Tet) 2025 consumption period.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam's total pig population exceeds 30 million, ranking sixth globally in pork production. With the current pig population and national demographics, the domestic pig farming sector is fully capable of meeting the demand for meat, eggs, and milk during the year-end season and especially for Tet 2025.
The Dong Nai Livestock Association reported a slight reduction in the province's total pig population compared to the same period last year due to the relocation of thousands of farms away from residential areas and areas unsuitable for zoning. Additionally, the impact of ASF has led to losses and farm closures, particularly among small-scale operations. However, large livestock corporations and enterprises continue to show strong growth.
As of the end of November, Dong Nai's total pig population reached nearly 2.1 million, an increase of nearly 100,000 from the previous month but a decrease of 0.16% compared to the same period last year. Despite the slight decrease in population, pork production in Dong Nai has increased. In the first 11 months of 2024, the province supplied over 481,600 tons of pork to the market, an increase of nearly 5% compared to the same period last year.
This paradox of a reduced pig population but increased production is due to farmers focusing on improved farming techniques and investing in feed to raise the average slaughter weight of pigs. Moreover, many enterprises have enhanced their closed-loop production chains, from farming to slaughtering, and have been flexible in distribution. This not only ensures a stable domestic supply but also supports export activities