Will African Swine Flu increase UK meat prices ?

Many millions of pigs are being culled in Asia as African Swine Flu continues to spread uncontrolled. With loss of supply, and growing Chinese demand, global pork prices have started to rise and could eventually effect the UK.

Pork and meat prices could rise, or much worse our pigs could get the disease.

Half of the world’s pigs live in Asia yet despite huge amounts of government intervention and culling the African Swine flu is continuing to spread. This is due to their low standards in animal welfare, lack of regulation, leaky borders and farmers not reporting outbreaks when faced with enforced culling.

Unlike the UK where regulation and welfare standards are the highest in the world and farmers are compensated for loss of animals.

If prices do rise in the UK will we think twice about buying pork, and other meats? Will it encourage more people to cut down on meat, or with the growing interest in veganism get more people completely switching to a more eco-friendly plant based diet?

Perhaps higher prices give big corporate farms, in countries where swine flu is not present, an opportunity to factory farm pigs and export to China, or or even the UK. (if Trump has his way?)

Around the world greedy American corporates have been recognised for low animal welfare practices in the USA and Eastern Europe and at last videos like the one below are helping increase animal welfare regulations.

Unfortunately trade wars make governments and people think more about price that animal welfare so we must not allow cheap low welfare meat in to the UK. Please lobby your local MP or sign any petitions calling for a ban on these imports.