GLOBAL MEAT PRODUCTION TRENDS IN 2021

The recent Rabobank Global Animal Protein Outlook 2021 has forecasted a rise in global pork demand in 2021, as China and Taiwan are expected to recover from the African swine fever (ASF) pandemic affecting wild boar and pigs. Rabobank sees pork production growing faster than other edible animal species in 2021, even though the disease keeps affecting pig herds, pork production and rising demand for other animal protein species, such as poultry, as substitutes for pork in both Asia and Europe. Since September 2020, veterinarians in Germany have confirmed more than a hundred ASF cases in wild pigs, with China putting a stop on all pig imports from Germany. While ASF outbreaks have only this far affected wild boar in the European Union, there is much concern regarding effective containment measures to ensure that the virus does not enter pig farms and abattoirs where domestic animals are reared and slaughtered. Recently, Italy’s farmers association Coldiretti has called for an immediate stop on imports of live animals from or in transit from the areas affected by ASF outbreaks in Europe to protect national farms. Other experts are pointing the finger at industrialised farming systems and their potential role in driving the spread of infectious diseases, like ASF, among livestock. We’d tap into expert opinions on the economic and health impacts thus far of ASF outbreaks in Europe and Asia, and how these regions plan to mitigate the risk of further ASF spread globally.