Breeding companies sold a huge quantity of pigs ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, and the African swine fever is reported locally under cold weather so that many large producers have handled it by “pulling out the affected”; hence, hog/sow stocks see a big decline this month. By the end of February, hog stocks are 24,696,855 heads in 1000 enterprises surveyed by Cofeed, down 1,156,359 heads or 4.47% from 25,853,214 heads a month earlier. Besides, the overall purchases and sales are slack during the holidays, leading to a decline in February hog feed production. But the production is still 32.59% above that a year earlier, mainly due to severe coronavirus pandemic and low hog stocks at that time.

February poultry feed production also declines month on month. Layer breeding stays at loss due to a sharp rise in the breeding cost so that farmers are not confident in the market outlook, and the market has also completed replenishment ahead of the festival and feed plants are on holidays.

Aquatic feed production continues a decline in February due to slack demand seasonally and holidays this month.

Of all 1135 feed enterprises in China surveyed by Cofeed, feed production is 8,725,287 tonnes in February, down 2,944,259 tonnes or 25.23% from 11,669,546 tonnes in the previous month and up 2.21% from 8,536,837 tonnes a year earlier.

Specifically,

Hog feed: 4,665,005 tonnes, down 1,661,123 tonnes or 26.26% from 6,326,128 tonnes in Jan and up 32.59% from 3,518,457 tonnes a year earlier;

Poultry feed: 3,334,369 tonnes, down 1,164,935 tonnes or 25.89% from 4,499,304 tonnes in Jan and down 24.14% from 4,395,485 tonnes a year earlier;

Aquaculture feed: 403,571 tonnes, down 27,593 tonnes or 6.4% from 431,164 tonnes in Jan and up 13.61% from 355,237 tonnes a year earlier;

Ruminant feed: 312,056 tonnes, down 94,394 tonnes or 23.22% from 406,450 tonnes in Jan and up 20.17% from 259,688 tonnes a year earlier;

Other feed (specific feed): 5,800 tonnes, down 700 tonnes or 10.77% from 6,500 tonnes in Jan and down 27.23% from 7,970 tonnes a year earlier.