Swine Fever

[neversay]

Tthe Swine Fever outbreak in China and Asia is massive but hardly making the news here in the UK:

"As many as half of China’s pigs, an estimated 300 million, have died of the virus or been exterminated in the last 13 months. The disease has spread to more than 50 countries, including Vietnam, Laos, South Korea, the Philippines and East Timor."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenroberts ... k-exports/

A quarter of the world's pig population is expected to die. Just imagine if it was a human transmissible virus.

[bungeejumper]

Indeed. So it's a bit of an awkward moment for America to start a trade war that would otherwise seem to offer US pig producers an unmissable export opportunity.

Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chin ... SKCN1UI02I) says that US farmers are getting ready to cash in on the opportunity. The only trouble is, they'll first have to stop using the growth drugs that are banned in China, just as they are in Europe.

The report says that the EU currently supplies two thirds of China's pigmeat imports. I expect Donald will find a way of insisting that the Chinese import ban is all Europe's fault.

BJ

[UncleEbenezer]

So accelerate the trade deal with Blighty under which we adopt US food safety standards. Then import US pigs en masse to Belfast, shift them across that open border to Dublin (labelled as locally grown), and then they're EU produce. Simple. So long as those pesky EU folks don't insist on a backstop against exactly that kind of thing.

[UncleIan]

So accelerate the trade deal with Blighty under which we adopt US food safety standards.

Mmmm yummy growth hormones to go with our chlorinated chicken! There's something to look forward to.

[Howyoudoin]

Tthe Swine Fever outbreak in China and Asia is massive but hardly making the news here in the UK:

"As many as half of China’s pigs, an estimated 300 million, have died of the virus or been exterminated in the last 13 months. The disease has spread to more than 50 countries, including Vietnam, Laos, South Korea, the Philippines and East Timor."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenroberts ... k-exports/

A quarter of the world's pig population is expected to die. Just imagine if it was a human transmissible virus.

My bold. Like Swine Flu you mean?

It was just something that was on the news to me until the Wife of a guy I was friends with on TMF got it and died. That brought it home a bit.

HYD

[neversay]

My bold. Like Swine Flu you mean?

It was just something that was on the news to me until the Wife of a guy I was friends with on TMF got it and died. That brought it home a bit.

HYD

Quite. Only a matter of time before we get another food-chain related infection that has a slow gestational period like CJD... or is it already underway?

Not a tin-foil hat person but my OP was that 300 million pigs dying, yet hardly causing a stir in the news, is perhaps a 'canary'.

[PinkDalek]

It's also worth pointing out that 'Global Pandemic. Influenza. Sars. Deadly pox' has a healthy (for want of a better word) lead in my End of the World pole.

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=16302

Yes but that was entitled Name your preferred catastrophe.

I didn't understand why so many chose the slow impending death by Global Pandemic. Influenza. Sars. Deadly pox..

[swill453]

I wouldn't have thought it's a particularly hard job to replace half the Chinese pig stock, even if it is 300 million. Each of the remaining sows can probably reproduce a couple of dozen piglets in a few weeks or months, so not too difficult to manage.

Scott.