Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien. Photo: TQ
Pig farming in Vietnam remains the key industry
According to Deputy Minister Tien, our pig herd is currently at nearly 30 million heads. In the first 8 months of 2024, the pig herd grew by 2.2%, and the poultry herd reached 562.8 million heads, still growing by 3.4%.
“Recently, we held a conference on sustainable pig farming development in the new situation to promote herd restoration and prepare food sources for the Lunar New Year. This helps us to be proactive in products and domestic markets while ensuring that farmers make a profit and have reasonable market prices.
Regarding the consumer price index (CPI), pork accounts for 28% of our “food basket”, and in the first 8 months of 2024, the CPI is still at an acceptable level. According to analysts, it is forecasted that it will be very difficult to increase from now until the end of the year. As we know, every time there is a salary increase or other factors affecting it, the CPI will fluctuate greatly, but this year, the CPI will be basically stable. As for agriculture, we not only have enough supply but also have many products for export.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said: In the first 8 months of 2024, the epidemic was basically controlled, imports were tightened, anti-smuggling was strengthened, exports were promoted, livestock product prices increased above production costs to attract herd restoration, so the total pig herd still maintained a good growth rate (the pig herd increased by 2.2% compared to the same period in 2023). Thus, it can be seen that Vietnam’s pig farming is a very important key industry, which has been gradually shifting from small-scale farming to concentrated, commodity-based, large-scale farming.
However, according to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, the livestock industry in Vietnam, as well as the world, is currently facing many difficulties and challenges. Issues such as epidemics, climate change, market fluctuations, dependence on feed ingredients, antibiotic resistance, etc., especially environmental management, have posed urgent requirements for the industry to address.
With the characteristics of household and small-scale livestock farming, it still accounts for a high proportion in the livestock scale structure; production linkages according to value chains are still limited, not receiving proper attention and investment; and environmental treatment of livestock farming is still inadequate.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien added that pork still accounts for a very large proportion in the “food basket” of domestic consumers. Therefore, ensuring pork supply is always a matter of concern for the agricultural sector. From 2019 to present, the growth rate of the total pig herd has been maintained. Pork output has also increased day by day, basically meeting the full demand for pork for consumers. In addition, pork prices from the end of 2023 to present have also been quite good, ensuring benefits for businesses and livestock households.
Farm owner takes care of pigs in Kim Son (Ninh Binh). Photo: TQ
Stable supply and price of live pigs
Forecasting further on the supply and price of pigs and chickens in the last months of the year, the leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said: Compared to the same period in 2023, the supply of pork and poultry this year will remain stable, so the prices of these items will not fluctuate much but will remain at a moderate level. In particular, the price of live pigs will only remain at the current level (the price of live pigs today, September 7, in the regions is from over 60,000 VND to 66,000 VND/kg – PV) ensuring profits for farmers.
According to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, in recent years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised the Government to issue many documents directing the synchronous implementation of many solutions to promote sustainable livestock development. Especially in controlling epidemics and preventing smuggling and illegal import of pork and pork products.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien also emphasized that at the end of the year, near the Lunar New Year 2025, the demand for food consumption in general will be very high. If we are not proactive from early on, from afar, the supply of pork will be greatly affected. Therefore, the Department of Animal Husbandry, the Department of Veterinary Medicine and localities need to continue to synchronously deploy solutions according to the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“The key task that needs to be focused on is to promote bio-safety livestock farming and good disease control. Build the pork industry according to a chain of links, harmonizing the interests of the participating components. At the same time, encourage the development of livestock farming of specialty and indigenous pig breeds associated with eco-tourism, integrating multi-values,” affirmed the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Accordingly, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien requested the livestock industry to closely follow 5 priority projects to implement the Livestock Development Strategy for the period 2021 – 2030, vision 2050. These are projects on breeds, breed industry, feed, environment, livestock equipment, processing, science and technology and are also important legal bases, consistent over a long period of time.
The Deputy Minister requested relevant units to implement the strategy for sustainable agricultural and rural development for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, and the livestock development strategy for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2045…
According to Deputy Minister Tien, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been issuing plans to implement projects to implement the livestock development strategy. The implementation of priority projects in the strategic projects will create an important boost for the livestock industry in general, and pig farming in particular, to develop further in the coming time.