China mulling to ban pork imports from India due to ASF

China is reportedly planning to impose a ban on pork imports from India citing concerns regarding African swine fever (ASF).

The Chinese authorities are said to ban pigs, wild boar and other related products from India, according to the Chinese publication Global Times.

It published a joint notice issued by the General Administration of Customs of China and the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs.

The officials said that the proposed ban on pork products from India is a measure to safeguard China’s animal husbandry from ASF.

According to the Chinese newspaper, the first case of ASF was reported in the state of Assam earlier this month among pigs and wild boars and killed more than 14,000 pigs in the state.

The daily also added that the disease first broke out in China in August 2018.

The decision to impose a ban on pork and other imported products from India comes after tensions have flared up between the two nations due to the construction of defence facilities by India on the border to Chinese territory.

However, the notice from the Chinese officials did not mention the ongoing border disputes between the two countries.

In March, the Chinese Government reportedly encouraged firms to build pig farms overseas to meet the country’s increasing demand for pork products.

According to Reuters, the recent outbreak of ASF eliminated almost half of the pigs in China.

According to a statement jointly released by the Chinese National Development and Reform Commissions and the agriculture ministry, the government has directed the local authorities to establish pig farms in countries from which they can export pork products back to China.