China is currently auctioning off 10,000t of frozen pork from its state reserve each week after a severe production shortfall due to the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the country.

According to Reuters, China has already sold more than 500,000t of pork from its reserves this year to help to reduce high prices for pork.

Reuters also reported that illegally-produced ASF vaccines have been circulating in Chinese markets for the last number of months.

Chinese officials now have the authority to carry out inspections in veterinary laboratories, drug producers and pig farmers for any evidence they could have developed or used an illegal vaccine.

Outbreaks in Europe

The number of cases of ASF in Europe is on the rise after large-scale outbreaks of the disease were found in eastern European pig facilities.

A report from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK stated that Poland has reported 19 outbreaks in domestic pig herds.

According to the Pig Progress report (July 2020), ASF is present across “one-third of the Polish land area”.

Russia reportedly announced a fourfold increase in cases in July, having gone from just six confirmed cases to 25.

Romania currently has the largest number of cases, with 395 confirmed cases of ASF thus far in 2020. Russia is next on the list.