Viet Nam: Hog Markets
VIET NAM - Ron Lane, Senior Consultant for Genesus Viet Nam and Meggie Vo, Genesus Marketing Representative in Viet Nam, provide the latest update on the Vietnamese hog market.
9 May 2014
5 minute read
- Pork is the leading source of Viet Nam consumers’ intake of meat products. In 2009, the pork consumption per capita reached 27kg-59.5 lbs. per year. The increasing demand for pork is chiefly due to rising incomes and the shift in diet to more protein-rich products. Pork supply still represents about 74.4 per cent of the total meat supply in Viet Nam.
- During most of 2013, the pig market prices have shown a large variation and thus profitability/losses. Market pig prices declined sharply and until the middle months of 2013 around 38,000 to 39,000VND/kg ($1.79US/kg-$0.81US/lb. to $1.83US/kg-$0.83US/lb.), but since that time, the price has risen until it reached 55,000VND/kg ($2.59US/kg-$1.17US/lb.) as a high in December 2013. Since TET, market pig prices have steadily increased. In late March, the farm price for market pigs was about 51,000VND/kg ($2.40US/kg-$1.09US/lb.) -a rise of 2,000 to 3000VND/kg ($0.09 to 0.14US/kg-$0.04US to $0.06US/lb.). The market pig prices have been rising, partly due to the consumers’ fear of avian influenza information and thus the shift from poultry to pork. As well, an increase in the price of some commodities used for livestock feed have increased thus causing a rise in market pig prices. During April and from information from the wholesale market traders, the farm price along with pork products are rising sharply. Currently, the market pig price in the Ho Chi Minh area is about 55,000 VND ($2.59US/kg-$1.17US/lb.) an increase of 2,000 to 3,000VND ($0.09 to 0.14US/kg-$0.04US to $0.06US/lb.) from early April. Pork prices have increased from 5,000 to 15,000 VND/kg ($0.24 to $0.71US/kg-$0.11US to 0.32US/lb.).
- Last week and in recent discussion with producers in Dong Nai province, market pig prices were about 55,000 VND/kg ($2.59US/kg-1.17US/lb.) and cost of production was about 42,000 VND/kg ($1.97US/kg-$0.90US/lb.). Profit was 13,000 VND/kg ($0.61US/kg-$0.28US/lb.) or about $61.10US/market pig in the south part of Viet Nam. However, the market pig price has been lower in the Hanoi region at 43,000 to 46,000VND/kg ($2.02US/kg to $2.16US/kg-$0.92US to $0.98US/lb.). Some pigs from the Hanoi region have been moving towards Ho Chi Minh market with the favourable market prices. China has basically stopped buying live pigs from Viet Nam, as the prices in China are quite low. Recently, the quality pork from the North region has entered the Ho Chi Minh market representing about 40 per cent of the city’s imports (about 3,400 pigs/night enter the south market). According to Nguyen Tri Cong, Chairman of Dong Nai Livestock Association, the carcass weights from the North are lower than the South weights (probably mostly due to live weight shrink- it takes most of 2 days live transport from the North to the South (North carcass weight is about 71 to 72 kg (156 to 159 lbs.) while the carcass weight in the South is about 77 to 78 kg. (170 to 172 lbs.). As well, the demand and market price for feeder pigs (20 kg live weight-44pounds) has also increased sharply from 75,000VND/kg ($ 3.53US/kg-$1.60USD/lb.) to 100,000VND/kg ($4.70US/kg-$2.13US/lb.). This increase in the prices is since the TET holidays (January 31st, 2014).
- Currently, Viet Nam has over 12 million households that are livestock producers-7.5 million are poultry producers and more than 4 million are pig producers (average 1 to 10 pigs/household). Recent statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) show a consistent 5-7 per cent decrease in the number of farms per year over the past 5 years. The pig industry sector plays an important role in generating income for rural areas. The small farmers are the key source providing up to 90 per cent of the pork sold in the market place. Therefore, the rising demand and thus pig price, is creating an improved livelihood opportunity for people on low incomes through pig farming. The livestock sector accounts for 27 per cent of the contribution from agriculture to the GDP. Among farming operations, the raising of pigs is a key activity and contributes to 71 per cent of the total livestock output. Thus the argument-the industry should support large-scale, more efficient farms, but the National government also needs to support millions of small farmers to keep their livelihood increasing.
| Genesus Global Market Report Prices for the week of 30 April 2014 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | Domestic price (own currency) | US dollars (Liveweight a lb) |
| USA (Iowa-Minnesota) | 113.72 USD/lb carcass | 84.15¢ |
| Canada (Ontario) | 268.94 CAD/kg carcass | 89.63¢ |
| Mexico (DF) | 28.86 MXN/kg liveweight | $1.01 |
| Brazil (South Region) | 3.38 BRL/kg liveweight | 68.79¢ |
| Russia | 130 RUB/kg liveweight | $1.68 |
| China | 11.4 RMB/kg liveweight | 82.95¢ |
| Spain | 1.365 EUR/kg liveweight | 86.24¢ |
| Viet Nam | 50,000 VND/kg liveweight | $1.08 |
| South Korea | 4,745 KRW/kg liveweight | $2.10 |
