Deputy Director of NAFIQPM: 'Pig prices will remain high'

At the conference on disease prevention and pig farming development in the new situation organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on April 3, Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development (NAFIQPM) informed that although the peak consumption period for the Lunar New Year has passed, pork prices have not only not decreased but also increased sharply.

According to Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, in the coming time, it is forecasted that the price of live pigs will remain high. Photo: Khuong Trung.

By early March 2025, the price of live pigs increased to 75,000 - 80,000 VND/kg (an increase of 15 - 18% compared to early January 2025). The peak price of 83,000 VND/kg appeared in Dong Nai province from March 6. This is also the highest price in the past 3 years. However, by mid-March, the price of pigs showed signs of slowing down and tending to decrease. Currently, the market for live pigs in all three regions is trading at an average of 66,000 - 76,000 VND/kg.

Vietnam's pork prices are higher than those of China, Thailand and Cambodia but still significantly lower than those of the Philippines (the average price in the first quarter of 2025 in China is VND63,000/kg, Thailand VND56,000/kg, Philippines VND115,000/kg).

Regarding imports, by the end of February 2025, our country imported more than 25,000 tons of pork, worth nearly 50 million USD (an increase of more than 37% over the same period last year). Russia is the largest pork supplier to Vietnam (accounting for more than 22% of total imports), followed by Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. The main imported products are frozen meat (shoulder meat, fat meat, ribs and by-products).

Regarding exports, Vietnam exported pork (suckling pigs, pork products) reaching over 6 million USD by the end of February 2025 (up 41%). Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore are the 3 export markets for frozen suckling pigs from Vietnam.

According to Mr. Hoa, in the coming time, the price of live pigs is forecast to remain high, but it is unlikely to increase dramatically if disease prevention is well implemented. In addition, the export turnover of processed pork products from Vietnam is still limited, mainly consisting of processed suckling pig products and frozen whole suckling pig products.

Meanwhile, import turnover is also not much (about more than 290,000 tons in 2024, reaching 460 million USD). Therefore, the domestic market is expected to be less affected because the impact factor from the international pork market has not had many fluctuations.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien assessed that in the context of fierce trade competition and many pressures surrounding domestic pig farming, the subjects must act quickly.

“If the central government takes action, then localities, businesses, and breeders must also take action. Subjects facing difficulties should boldly propose solutions together to avoid the situation of not taking action but complaining and blaming when facing a crisis,” Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized.

Deputy Minister Tien also noted that in order to develop sustainable pig farming and increase competitiveness for the pork industry, first of all, state and local management agencies must summarize and re-evaluate the results achieved when implementing the Livestock Development Strategy, the Veterinary Law, and the Animal Husbandry Law. Any points of the regulations that are not suitable to reality need to be quickly researched and adjusted immediately.

By the end of February 2025, Vietnam's pork exports reached more than 6 million USD (up 41%). Illustrative photo.

In particular, it is necessary to closely follow the major orientations of the industry on digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy and cross-cutting solutions such as increasing exports, preventing smuggling, etc. At the same time, actively innovate and apply modern technologies, especially in breeding, animal feed production, product processing, and environmental treatment.

According to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, in the context of the land area for agriculture gradually shrinking, it is necessary to promote the development of urban agriculture, expand the subjects with room for growth, enhance deep processing to diversify products, and expand the customer base for pork products. In particular, it is necessary to focus on developing research, production and vaccination.

Source: https://nongnghiep.vn/pho-cuc-truong-nafiqpm-gia-lon-hoi-se-duy-tri-o-muc-cao-d746330.html