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I would add item 3 on your list of pork production problems is the lack of a free market price signal mechanism. Read an article recently that talked about over production causing pork prices to crash internally and many hog producers were not filling spots on their feeding floors but were being encouraged to do so by local authorities. Now with ASF supposedly reappearing it is causing a major shortfall of pigs to slaughter. However, they don't seem to be coming to the US looking for pork imports so I am wondering if they may have overplayed their hand. Another recent article stated a 5% drop in pig numbers but a 14% drop in pork tonnage-indicating lower slaughter weights indicating the pigs are being pulled forward. Also, I was taught that FOB was at a point-either origin or destination so it may or may not include freight.

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