China to hold hearing on EU pork dumping investigation
Stakeholders told to register by Oct. 23 as tensions over meat trade continue
CHINA – China’s Ministry of Commerce is preparing to hold a hearing on its anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union.
The ministry has instructed interested parties to submit registration forms for participation by October 23, signaling that the probe, launched earlier this year, is entering a new phase of proceedings.
In September, Beijing imposed preliminary anti-dumping tariffs of up to 62.4% on European pork products valued at more than US$2 billion, a move that immediately strained trade relations with several EU member states.
The duties target a range of pork and by-products, with China accusing exporters in the bloc of selling at unfairly low prices that harm its domestic industry.
The upcoming hearing will allow companies, trade groups, and other affected stakeholders to present their positions before authorities finalize the case.
Pork production rises as industry faces overcapacity
Meanwhile, new government figures show that China’s pork production climbed 7% in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, as producers stepped up slaughtering to manage excessive supply.
Between June and September, output reached 13.48 million metric tons, based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics and calculations by Reuters.
According to Pan Chenjun, a senior animal protein analyst at Rabobank, the increased slaughter rate was driven by efforts to address overcapacity, which has also led to weaker market prices.
Farmers slaughtered about 529.92 million pigs in the first nine months of 2025, a 1.8% increase from a year earlier, reflecting the pressure to reduce herd numbers.
Cash hog prices dropped to around 11.2 yuan (US$1.53) per kilogram on Monday, down sharply from above 17 yuan (US$2.32) per kilogram during the same time last year, according to data from consultancy MySteel.
China, home to roughly half of the world’s pigs, continues to face a supply glut amid sluggish consumer demand and falling prices.
Authorities have been pushing producers to trim breeding herds, limit hog weights to about 120 kilograms, and curb expansion through tighter financial support and subsidy restrictions.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show the country’s sow herd fell 0.7% year-on-year to 40.35 million at the end of September, still slightly above the target level of 39 million.
Pan added that breeding numbers are expected to decline gradually over the rest of 2025, with a noticeable reduction in the total pig herd likely to emerge by mid-2026.
Overall, China’s pork production rose 3% in the first nine months of the year to 43.68 million tons, while the total pig herd grew 2.3% to 436.8 million head.
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