WASHINGTON – According to the US Dept. of Agriculture, shipments of pork from the US totaling 3,427 metric tons data were recently canceled by trade officials in China.  

The cancelation was placed during the week of May 9 according to the USDA data. On May 10, President Donald Trump announced the US would raise the Chinese tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent.

The tariff increase now applies to a total of $250 billion in Chinese goods. Additionally, Trump said the US was preparing to extend the 25 percent tariff hike to the remaining goods imported from China, which were valued at about $325 billion.

Previously in 2019, China canceled sales of 53 metric tons of US pork the week of Feb. 28, sales of 999 metric tons the week of March 21 and 214 metric tons the week of April 18.

US pork farmers continue to struggle with the ongoing trade war between the two countries. Since July 2018, the tariff on US pork to China has been 62 percent.

China is also in a difficult situation with its pork economy as it continues to battle the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). According to a report by Rabobank in April, China is expected to have losses in pork production of 25 to 35 percent and affects an estimated 150 million to 200 million pigs worldwide.

On May 16, the USDA announced it would be implementing a surveillance plan to be prepared for the threat of  ASF.