For the first time Vietnam will import live pigs from other countries to stabilize local pork prices which have kept skyrocketing over the past months, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The MARD says firms are required to comply with existing regulations on the import quarantine and ensure safety measures are kept with regard to preventable diseases for domestic livestock, in addition to implementing quarantine regulations on imported pigs for a period of 30 days.

Once the COVID-19 epidemic is successfully brought under control, the quarantine of imported pigs from other nations into Vietnam will be deployed in accordance with existing regulations and procedures.

This marks the first time that Vietnam has permitted the official import of live pigs as a result of the complicated developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic globally, while the impact of the African swine fever outbreak has caused domestic pork prices to skyrocket.

Although Vietnam boosted the import of frozen pork, many consumers have kept the habit of choosing to purchase fresh pork for their daily meals. In addition, since the beginning of the year local businesses have also increased the import of pig breeders to increase domestic supply sources of offspring for restocking herds.

The CP Livestock Joint Stock Company reports that the price of live hog on May 27 increased to VND81,000 per kilo, VND10,000 higher than the selling price seen in mid-May. This comes after a number of local pig raising companies moved to hike  the price of live hogs to VND82,000 per kilo.

Indeed, pork prices in supermarkets are between VND10,000 to VND30,000 per kilo higher than those found in wet markets. At Vissan supermarket for instance, rib prices are the highest at VND280,000 per kilo, a figure that is VND60,000 per kilo higher than in wet markets, while other pork products hover around VND250,000 per kilo, or VND70,000 higher than seen in wet markets.