China: World's Largest Pork High-Rise Opens
In China, a 26-story pig facility has commenced operations. Experts warn of an increased zoonosis risk from factory farming.
26-Story Pig Facility Commences Operations
Intensive animal farming poses a threat to human health, yet demand for pork continues to drive growth.
In the Chinese province of Hubei, a 26-story pig facility has now commenced operations. The installation is described as a more environmentally friendly concept for meat production. However, experts warn of an increased risk of zoonoses and also raise ethical concerns.
The facility is the largest of its kind in the world. It is designed to have a slaughter capacity of up to 1.2 million pigs per year. It was built to meet China's growing demand for pork. Breeding began in October 2022, when nearly 4’000 sows were brought into the facility. At full capacity, it accommodates a total of 650’000 animals.
From Cement to Pigs
The company behind the operation is new to the pig sector. Previously, it had invested in China's cement industry. The facility is highly automated and is promoted as an environmentally friendly project. The waste from the pigs is processed and reused to produce biogas.
Following the outbreak of African swine fever in 2018, millions of pigs had to be culled. However, experts have stated that consuming less meat is the key to a sustainable future, not the intensification of production.
“This is alarming news from China,” said Nick Palmer, head of Compassion in World Farming UK. “Instead of developing new ways to produce more animal products, we all need to consume less, but better quality meat. In a world of growing climate challenges and pandemics, we should be working to end factory farming rather than planning even more intensive mega-farms.”
Concern Over Disease Risks
Although the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has approved the construction of high-rise pig facilities, environmental experts questioned the project. They suspect that an infection, should it find its way into a high-rise facility, would spread unchecked.
«The higher the density of animals is, the higher the risk of the spread and multiplication of infectious agents, as well as the potential for mutations», said Dirk Pfeiffer, Chair of One Health at the City University of Hong Kong. «The probably even more important question will be whether this type of production is compatible with the need to reduce meat consumption, given the threat of a devastating climate change.»
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