India egg prices rising on bad weather, production cuts

Egg prices are rising in India as the onset of winter, recent torrential rains and a cut in production has affected numbers across the country, according to reports.
Eggs currently stand at Rs 2.88 (US$0.06) a piece. During the same time in 2010, they climbed only slightly higher, to Rs 2.90 a piece.
Layer prices, on the other hand, have gone down, according to the National Egg Coordination Committee, to Rs 41 (US$0.83) per kilogram. Broiler prices are also expected to drop in coming days. “We want to increase the prices gradually," said an NECC spokesperson. "If we raise the prices, we may face consumer resistance and piling up of stocks."

Ukraine increases African swine fever checks on Russia border

The State Veterinary and Bio-Security Service of Ukraine has increased its checks on the Ukrainian border with Russia after reports of African swine fever in Kursk region.
The recent cases were registered roughly 85 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, and urgent measures have been taken in Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv and Crimea in particular. "Imports of pork from Russia are undergoing special checks," said a report citing Ivan Bisiuk, head of the State Veterinary and Bio-Security Service. "The required equipment for testing for swine fever is being supplied to all regional state veterinary laboratories."
Bisiuk also said that veterinary and sanitary inspectorates on the borders have started withdrawing meat from citizens arriving in Ukraine. Supervision over the issuing of veterinary documents for animals and products of animal origin for traveling across Ukraine has been reinforced.
Since the start of 2011, 44 cases of African swine fever have been registered in Russia

UK pig producers concerned over potential illegal pork imports

The majority of EU countries are likely to miss the deadline to meet new pig welfare legislation, raising the specter of illegally produced pork entering the UK, according to a new report published by British Pig Executive.
Legislation imposing a partial ban on the use of sow stalls in the rest of the EU comes into force in January 2013 – more than 10 years after the UK completely banned their use to raise animal welfare standards. Few, if any, EU Member States will be fully compliant with the legislation and it is acknowledged that a considerable proportion of pig producers in those countries have not yet moved to a welfare-friendly pig production system, said BPEX. “It is more than likely that many pig enterprises throughout the EU will fail to move to full compliance with these higher welfare standards, which incidentally still fall short of the standards adopted by UK pig farmers," said BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston. “So there is every chance that pork produced to lower welfare standards will continue to be imported into the UK illegally."
According to Houston, the situation will be unacceptable to consumers, and will prolong the competitive disadvantage under which the UK pig industry has operated since 1999. “The only way to ensure significant amounts of illegally produced pork are not imported is for major retailer and food service companies to insist, and check, that all produce is fully traceable and meets UK or the new EU standards,” said Houston. 
The European Commission stated earlier in 2011 that it does not propose any derogation to any Member State. While Member States are primarily responsible for implementing the new EU legislation, the inspection service of the European Commission Health and Consumers Directorate General, through its Food and Veterinary Office, regularly carries out audits in Member States to assess the implementation of legislation. 

UK pig breeder opens 900-sow joint venture in China

China celebrates the joint venture between JSR Genetics and Hubei Liangyou Livestock and Poultry Company.

Pig farm Hubei Liangyou JSR Breeding Limited, a new Chinese joint venture between JSR Genetics and state-owned Hubei Liangyou Livestock and Poultry Company, will house a 900-sow high health JSR nucleus herd.
The farm, built on a 66-hectare Greenfield site located in the Xiangyang region of Hubei, marks a major step forward for JSR, which has increasingly targeted China for its growth potential. “Establishing a nucleus herd here, with the support of a state-owned company, is a tremendous achievement for JSR,” said International Sales Director Paul Anderson. “China is a rapidly expanding market, already home to half the world’s pigs and the Hubei Province itself is the country’s third-largest pig producing area.”
Final selection of breeding stock is currently taking place. A team of four will visit JSR during November to view the animals and examine pedigrees and estimated breeding values. Nine members of the Hubei team have already visited JSR in the UK, spending three months in nucleus herd training and learning how to get the best out of JSR genetics. Pigs will be shipped on November 30, and the Chinese team will then be closely supported by regular on-site visits from JSR international pig specialists to monitor and advise on progress.
“It is a very thorough process,” said Anderson. “We are recommending a nucleus herd based on JSR Genepacker GGP Gilts – large white and landrace – and JSR Geneconverter Boars, the 500 and 700. We believe this specification will meet Chinese regulations for nucleus herds and provide the lean, lower fat, feed-efficient pigs that the Hubei market requires.”
According to Li Shenghong, chairman of HBCOF, JSR is the ideal partner for this new venture. “They can provide the world-class genetics we need to match our investment in this highly advanced unit," he said. "They can also bring a level of support and technical back-up that we feel will ensure the continuing success of this venture in the future.”

China pig meat production down first three quarters 2011

China's pork production reached 35.68 million tons in the first three quarters of 2011, down 0.6% from the same time in 2010, according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics.
Overall meat production, which includes pork, beef, mutton and poultry meat, reached 54.53 million tons, up 0.2% from same time in 2010. China’s GDP (gross domestic product) reached RMB 32.07 trillion (US$5.07 trillion) in the first three quarters of 2011, up 9.4% from 2010 numbers.

Philippine feed millers request duty-free corn imports

The Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. is requesting a duty-free import of 100,000 metric tons of yellow corn for the first quarter of 2012 as a result of increased corn prices due to typhoons Pedring and Quiel, according to reports.
The planned import is only 13% of the total requirement estimated for the first quarter, and will not adversely affect the demand or price of local corn, said PAFMI President Norman C. Ramos. The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. has also requested a permit to import corn at zero tariff due to the increase in corn prices. The volume of corn crops damaged by typhoons Pedring and Quiel are estimated to have reached 45,000 metric tons, or about 2.93% of the corn production target of 1.551 million metric tons for the fourth quarter of 2011.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Edilberto M de Luna said the Department of Agriculture is looking into the requests.

Rising hay prices causing Texas ranchers to sell cattle

A year-long drought has caused hay prices to rise to as much as $115 per 800-pound bale as of mid-October (compared to $60 during the same time in 2010), causing some Texas ranchers to sell off or abandon their cattle as they can no longer afford to maintain their herds.  
The drought, which has caused wildfires and cost Texas agriculture some $5.2 billion so far in damages, is the costliest on record, according to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Total hay production in Texas is expected to reach 5.9 million tons in 2011, roughly half of what the state produced in 2010.
Some farmers are getting hay from out-of-state or even moving their herds to other states, adding transportation costs, finder's fees and taxes to already high hay prices. “Hay to our livestock industry is equivalent to milk and bread to everyday families,” said Todd Staples, the state’s agriculture commissioner. “We’ve seen many producers sell out everything. Because there was no hay, no pasture. Many of them have vanished. Literally, gone up in dust.”
The Texas Agriculture Department has set up a hay hotline where ranchers, transporters and landowners from 42 states make connections to buy, sell or donate hay. The federal Farm Service Agency is also available to help farmers and ranchers purchase hay during droughts.