China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has revised the national target for breeding sow numbers as part of an updated plan to regulate swine production capacity. The new benchmark is set at approximately 37.5 million head, lower than previous targets.
The updated document — the “Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Control of Swine Production Capacity (2026 Revision)” — aims to refine state regulatory mechanisms and improve the precision of production management in the sector.
The reduction in the target reflects shifts in pork supply and demand, as well as improvements in production efficiency within China’s swine industry. Authorities seek to prevent overproduction and sharp market price fluctuations.
In addition, the plan introduces tighter thresholds for the so-called “green” and “yellow” levels used to assess breeding sow inventory, along with a phased and coordinated mechanism for adjusting production capacity. This is expected to strengthen market signals and help producers better navigate production decisions.
The Chinese government also plans to enhance monitoring and early warning systems, improve policy coordination across government bodies, and increase accountability of local authorities in implementing the measures.
Overall, the new steps are aimed at achieving a more stable balance in the pork market, maintaining prices at reasonable levels, and ensuring the long-term stability of the sector.
PigUA.info, based on pig333.com