The State Council released a circular on Sept 10 urging governments at all levels to stabilize hog production and promote industrial upgrades to ensure pork supply.

According to the circular, 95 percent of pork should be supplied by the domestic market, and large-scale hog farming should exceed 65 percent with a manure utilization rate of 85 percent by 2025.

Provincial-level governments were urged to offer preferential policies in farming land, funding and financing and grassroots epidemic-prevention teams.

The circular detailed an extension of subsidized loans for pig breeding farms and large-scale pig farms to Dec 31, 2020, and asked banks and financial institutions to support the hog industry.

Areas where hog raising is not permitted should be strictly marked in line with laws and regulations, the circular also read.

Transportation of piglets and frozen pork should be included in the green passage policy, and by June 30, 2020, vehicles that transport piglets and frozen pork will be exempted from tolls, according to the circular.

The circular also called for timely payment of subsidies for mandatory butchering due to African swine fever.

The reserve of frozen pork should be supplied at a proper pace, and the production of poultry, beef, mutton and other alternatives should be accelerated to ensure meat supply.

In addition, a mechanism to link social assistance with rising consumer prices will be established to ensure the livelihood of people in need, it said.

According to the circular, standardized large-scale farming will be accelerated, and farmers will be encouraged to expand their scales.

Meanwhile, the circular read, the nation will promote science and technology in hog production, and accelerate the utilization of farming waste.

The circular also urged further efforts to accelerate the development of African swine fever vaccines, improve disease monitoring conditions in grassroots veterinary laboratories and enhance grassroots epidemic-prevention teams.

The establishment of a cold-chain logistics system for pork transportation was also stressed.