The Dong Nai Livestock Association has sent a petition to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture (MARD), complaining about the imports.

On August 1 last year, the Prime Minister signed a telegram on sanctioning illegal trading and transportation of pigs across the border.

The Prime Minister asked ministries and local authorities to strengthen inspections and supervision in border areas, seaports and waterways to discover illegal transport of pigs into Vietnam.

However, smuggled pigs continued to be brought to Vietnam daily, affecting domestic production and increasing the risks of dangerous disease among herds.

According to the Dong Nai Livestock Association, it is now high smuggling season as the 2024 new lunar year nears and domestic demand is increasing.

From January 1-15, about 6,000-7,000 pigs were brought into Vietnam each night through border gates at the southeast and southwest border.

The association estimated that the number of smuggled pigs accounts for 30 percent of livestock sold in Vietnam each day. The selling prices of these imports are just VND50,000 per kilogram, which leaves domestic products uncompetitive and farmers having to sell pigs at a loss.

Experts have warned that smuggled pigs may lead to the spread of epidemics, which would seriously affect the country’s animal husbandry and lead to shortages.

The association said animal husbandry suffered heavily from Covid-19 and ASF (African swine fever). Farmers are incurring losses as they have had to sell pigs below production costs, and many farms are idle.

The Dong Nai Livestock Association has asked the Prime Minister and MARD to direct agencies to organize inspection tours to prevent the transport and illegal trade of pigs.

Vietnamese pig farmers experienced a bad year in 2023, though the number of pigs increased to 30.3 million.

Le Thi Van, the owner of a pig farm in Hung Yen, said in late December in 2023 that pigs sold at just VND48,000-52,000 per kilogram of live weight which meant a loss of VND500,000 for every pig sold.

Van said she often had to sell products at a loss last year. Animal feed prices increased steadily, and pit prices stood at low levels.

About 49-51 million pigs are slaughtered each year, according to MARD. Tong Xuan Chinh, deputy head of the Animal Husbandry Department, said at the year-end review conference that "no one says they made a profit from pig farming in 2023".

Tam An