Published: 7:30pm, 23 Apr, 2019 Updated: 3:38am, 6 Jun, 2019
Pork prices are rising due to the impact of an ongoing African swine flu epidemic in China 's pig industry , with prices increasing 36 % in the first half of April . The outbreak has had a serious impact on Chinese pork exports , with prices expected to reach an all - time high in Q4 2019 amid shrinking stocks . Some estimates predict that China could lose up to 200 million animals in the epidemic , almost three times the entire US pig industry . China is now looking to sources , such as the US , to meet demand .