Led by growth in China and Latin America, global feed production increased by 1% in 2020, to 1.187.7 billion tonnes, according to the annual Global Feed Survey released on Jan. 26.
It reversed last year’s decline of 1%, the only time in the 10 years of the survey in which global production decreased.
China saw 5% growth in feed output and reclaimed its position as the top feed-producing country in 2020 at 240 million tonnes, according to the survey.
“In the face of challenges of disease and lockdown, China’s rebound has been faster than expected,.
Rounding out the top 10 feed-producing countries, including tonnage and growth percentage, are:
* China 240 million tonnes up 5 %
* United States (215.9 million tonnes, up 1%)
- Brazil (77.6 million tonnes, up 10%)
- India (39.3 million tonnes, down 5%)
- Mexico (37.9 million tonnes, up 4%)
- Spain (34.8 million tonnes, unchanged)
- Russia (31.3 million tonnes, up 3%)
- Japan (25.2 million tonnes, unchanged)
- Germany (24.9 million tonnes, unchanged)
- Argentina (22.5 million tonnes, up 7%).
Altogether, these countries account for 63% of the world’s feed production and can be viewed as an indicator of the overall trends in agriculture.
By region, feed production increased
4% in Latin America (176.5 million tonnes),
2% in Asia-Pacific (443.9 million tonnes)
1% in North America (237.2 million tonnes).
It decreased
2% in Africa (43 million tonnes),
the Middle East (24.8 million tonnes)
Oceania (10.4 million tonnes),
fell 1% in Europe (261.9 million tonnes).
The global data, collected from more than 140 countries and more than 28,000 feed mills, indicates feed production by species as follows:
broilers, 28%;
pigs, 24%;
layers, 14%;
dairy, 11%;
beef, 10%;
other species, 7%;
aquaculture, 4%;
and pets, 2%.
The predominant growth came from the broiler, pig, aqua and pet feed sectors.
Disease continues to challenge swine producers, and there is concern in Oceania about the spread of African swine fever as it continues to spread throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
“Despite that challenge in some areas of Asia-Pacific,
China has bounced back significantly from African swine fever,
Asia-Pacific remains flat in growth because many other countries, such as the Philippines and Thailand, continue to struggle with the disease.”
PIGS POPULATION WORLDWIDE 2020
CHINA 310 Millions in 2020 ( 500 Millions in 2018-2019 )
EU …………….. 148
USA…………….. 79
Brazil……………. 18
Canada ………….14
South Korea …….12
Mexico …………..11
Japan…………….. 9
Pork prices have climbed to record highs, prompting authorities to release meat from the national strategic pork reserves
Pork’s importance in China, where it accounts for 60 percent of meat consumption
Reports that the surge in imports came as China, the world’s largest meat consumer, stocked up on proteins after a further plunge in its pork output.
Chinese customs data shows that it imported 9.91 million tonnes of meat in 2020, up 60 percent on 2019.
That followed an even bigger drop during 2019 when the fatal pig disease African swine fever ravaged its vast hog herd.
China’s General Administration of Customs only began releasing monthly data for all meats combined last year but the 2020 total is believed by industry analysts to be a record.
Imports of pork from the United States, China’s largest supplier, rose 223.8 percent in yuan terms in 2020
Testing of imported chilled foods for the novel coronavirus during the second half of 2020 slowed imports but arrivals still kept up a healthy pace.
December imports jumped 24 percent from the 775,000 tonnes brought in the prior month to 964,000 tonnes, close to the monthly record hit in July 2020, as buyers stocked up for the peak consumption season during the upcoming Lunar New Year.
