The Impact of African Swine Fever on the Efficiency of China’s Pig Farming Industry

Abstract

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a severe viral disease that has significantly impacted the pig farming industry in China. It first broke out in China in 2018 and quickly spread to multiple provinces, significantly affecting the production efficiency of the pig farming industry. This study utilized pig production data from 17 provinces in China from 2010 to 2022 and applied the Malmquist production efficiency index and panel regression methods to assess the impact of the ASF epidemic on the efficiency of the pig farming industry. The results indicated that the outbreak of ASF significantly reduced overall production efficiency, which magnified the vulnerabilities of the production system. Although there was a general decline in technological change and pure technical efficiency, the increase in scale efficiency suggested effective resource optimization by farmers under resource-constrained conditions. In light of these findings, it is recommended to strengthen biosecurity education and epidemic prevention measures in the pig farming industry and to enhance technological innovation and the application of smart technologies to improve production efficiency and disease response capabilities. Additionally, timely adjustments in farming scale and resource optimization will be key to addressing future challenges. Through these strategies, the pig farming industry can maintain stable production efficiency during future epidemics and push towards a more efficient and refined production model.