Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 3/15/19


Chinese buyers made the country’s largest purchase of U.S. pork in almost two years last week despite hefty import tariffs, as the country grapples with the continued spread of African swine fever, Reuters reported. 

China bought 23,800 metric tons of U.S. pork in the week ended March 7, according to USDA data. That is the biggest weekly purchase since April 2017 and the third largest since USDA began tracking pork export data in 2013, Reuterssaid.
The purchase comes despite Chinese import tariffs of 62 percent on U.S. pork, as prices for the meat have declined enough to offset the duties, the report said.

There have been 111 confirmed cases of African swine fever in 28 provinces and regions across China since August 2018, resulting in the culling of as many as 1 million pigs, Reuters said.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he expects to know whether a trade deal with China is possible in the next three to four weeks.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.