He said he lost more than 70 million yuan (US$10.57mil). Backyard family-run operations with fewer than 50 pigs account for 90 percent of China's hog farms, but only a third of supply. Another Shangdong farmer, who gave his surname as Song, said he's been told by local authorities his 600-strong pig farm faces likely closure in a few years as the government is expected to expand the pig-free zones. In the Beijing suburb, where piles of discarded vaccines and animal feed now sit unneeded, Zhang says he's contemplating building an organic pig farm nearby. "All the blood and heart I have invested (in my business) were all cast to the wind," Zhang said.- Reuters

Source: The Star November 05, 2017 03:45 UTC