(Yicai Global) March 8 -- Chinese consumers may have to rely on supermarket freezers for their pork after the country begins to restrict the transportation of live pigs between regions from April 1 to control the spread of African swine fever and other hog illnesses.

Except for breeding pigs and piglets, live hogs should not be shipped beyond neighboring provinces, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Those that absolutely must leave their home regions need to be moved using pre-planned routes to undergo inspections.

Since November 2019, the ministry has been testing the policy in China's southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as southeastern Fujian and Jiangxi and central Hunan to curb the spread of African swine fever, which overwhelmed the country’s pig herds, driving up pork prices.

Pigs have traditionally been shipped live from China’s northern regions, where breeding is centered, to the south, the country’s main pork market. Chinese consumers also prefer their meat products fresh and not frozen.Because of that and limited cold chain logistics capacity, 70 percent to 80 percent of shipments involve live hogs, according to Feng Yonghui, chief analyst at Soozhu.Com.

But that is all about to change, posing a challenge to cold chain logistics firms and slaughter houses. Abattoirs will need to move north and that requires big investment, Feng said.

The challenge is also technical. Firms need to come up with ways to keep produce fresh and appealing after long journeys to stores, Liu Yonghao, chairman of animal feed, meat and dairy products supplier New Hope Group, told Yicai Global yesterday.

Editor: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi