China Says Its Meat Supply Is Guaranteed Through Imports, Large Inventory

China increased its meat market supply by releasing 10,000 tons of pork from its central reserves, saying it can guarantee the country’s meat supply through increased meat imports and its “high level” of frozen meat inventory, China’s Ministry of Commerce said Sept. 19, according to an unofficial translation of a news release. China said it will continue “to release pork from central reserves as appropriate to guarantee supply of pork in the market,” according to a report from Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. The announcement came as U.S. farmers, pork producers and meat exporters continue to face shrinking export markets in China due to the trade war. China recently announced it would add pork to its list of tariff exemptions of U.S. goods (see 1909130013). Also factoring into the reserves release are the upcoming Oct. 1 National Day observances in China, and curtailed domestic pork availability due to “an epidemic of African swine fever that has cut domestic pig production, pushing up demand for pork imports,” according to another Xinhua report.