Cheap meat imports affecting domestic animal breeders

According to GDC, by mid-March, Vietnam had imported 7,800 tons of pork of different kinds, worth US$9.4 million. The figure represented a 16% increase in quantity and 21% in value compared with the same period last year. 

As such, one kilo of imports is priced at US$1.2. Post-slaughter by-products were imported at US$0.88 per kilo (5,400 tons were imported, worth US$4.8 million), while fresh pork was VND42,500 per kilo,

Also according to GDC, in 2016, Vietnam imported 39,400 tons of pork, worth US$44 million with by-products priced at VND21,000 and fresh meat VND35,900.

The domestic price has also decreased sharply. Farmers now can sell pork at only VND25,000 per kilo of live weight.

Nguyen Thi Nguyen, a farmer in Nam Dinh, said she sold a herd of 40 pigs at a loss of VND40 million. She said she was lucky finding merchants who paid VND24,000 per kilo. Meanwhile, other farmers could sell at VND22,000 only.

“I have never seen the pork price decreasing so dramatically in the last 30 years,” she said. “One kilo of pork is even cheaper than one kilo of Chinese apple which is sold at VND30,000 per kilo in rural areas."

Le Thi Ba in Phuc Tho, Hanoi, said she sold 200 pigs half a month ago at VND26,500 and incurred the loss of VND200 million. However, merchants now only accept the price of VND23,000.

Tong Xuan Chinh, deputy director of the Livestock Department, said at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MARD) regular meeting, that meat and egg prices are falling because of oversupply. 

Chinh said that one of the reasons is the overdevelopment of animal feed production.

Exporting meat is the best solution for farmers for now to ease oversupply. Chinh said China consumes high volumes of pork, chicken and farm produce.

In the past, Vietnam’s pork was exported to China across the border gate. However, China has tightened imports across the border. 

MARD is negotiating with Chinese agencies on Vietnam’s pork exports through official channels.

MARD has also sent dispatches to local authorities asking that they stop building more animal feed factories.

Chinh commented that Vietnam’s production capability is still weak compared with other countries. As the production cost is high, Vietnam’s products find it hard to compete with imports.