Gyeonggi Province Strengthens Support for Local Pork Farmers Through Consumer Campaign

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province held a "Local Pork Consumption Promotion Event" on the 8th at the cafeteria of the Northern Provincial Office to support pig farming households and related businesses in the province facing difficulties from the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).

The event was organized in consideration of the fact that pork consumption has declined and prices have fallen since the ASF outbreak, increasing the management burden on pig farming households, with the aim of sharing the difficulties together and contributing to price stabilization.
The province plans to introduce menus featuring pork from the Gyeonggi region, such as galbi-jjim and spiced pork, through the Northern Provincial Office cafeteria twice or more per week.

In addition, the province plans to promote the safety and excellence of pork through the websites and SNS of 31 cities and counties in the province, and will continuously encourage consumption expansion by utilizing educational programs at community service centers in cities and counties to teach various pork cooking methods.
In particular, the province previously held a "Local Pork Consumption Festival" at the Gyeonggi Peace Plaza on the Northern Provincial Office premises on the 2nd with the Korean Pork Council and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation's Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters.
The event was evaluated as an opportunity to promote the excellence of local pork to consumers by operating tasting and discount sales booths where visitors could sample pork belly and purchase at prices discounted by more than 30% compared to market prices.

An official from the Provincial Department of Animal Disease Control and Quarantine said, "Gyeonggi Province will make every effort to end African Swine Fever and normalize the pig farming industry," and added, "ASF is harmless to humans, and pork distributed in the market is safely supplied through rigorous inspections. Please participate in promoting pork consumption with confidence and lend support to pig farming households."

Meanwhile, the current average price of pork carcass (meat with head, tail, feet, and internal organs removed) at national wholesale markets is 3,210 won/kg (as of October 30), which represents a decline of more than 25% compared to before the African Swine Fever outbreak (4,336 won/kg, average price on September 11), and a drop of more than 15% compared to the previous year (3,804 won/kg, October 2018).