First industrial hit 🏭

Shuvalovo, the largest pork producer in the Russian Kostroma region, had to cull nearly 6,000 pigs due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). At least three production sites have been affected and even those where the virus was not detected have been ordered to suspend operations.

• According to official statements, the situation with ASF is currently tense but under control.

A decrease in production at that farm isn’t likely to have any impact on the overall Russian pork market, though, because: 

• First, the volumes affected by the outbreaks are relatively low – Shuvalovo is big when compared to Kostroma’s overall smaller volumes, but not so much if compared to the national rates.
• The market is already facing an oversupply crisis – you can read more about that here. 

Shuvalovo is the first industrial farm to be hit this year – outbreaks had only been recorded on backyard farms and with wild boars. 

• Risk is especially high during the summer-autumn season. 

Nevertheless, things are looking brighter: the situation in the Russian pig industry is more stable than at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, despite the failure of some veterinary services to combat ASF properly.