Agriculture ministry sets compensation for pigs killed due to virus

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said over the weekend that hog producers affected by African swine fever are now eligible for compensation of 1,200 yuan ($180) for each pig slaughtered due to the contagious virus.

Local authorities are encouraged to refine their compensation regulations in accordance with the specific size and breed of hogs that have been culled due to disease outbreaks, according to the Ministry.

The universal standard for the amount of compensation payment varies between 50 to 100 percent of market prices. The 1,200-yuan-per-head pay is about 75 percent of the average hog price in China, the Ministry said, adding that the amount was jointly decided with the Ministry of Finance.

To guarantee that hog farmers will receive compensation, the central leadership has dispatched extra funds dedicated to containing African swine fever, and issued annual funds allocated for prevention and control of animal diseases in advance.

China has reported more than 110 African swine fever outbreaks since the first case was confirmed in the northeast's Liaoning province in August.

The latest outbreak was confirmed on Saturday at two separate breeding farms in Lichuan, Central China's Hubei province. A total of 78 hogs were killed as a result.