Pig prices will fluctuate in April, 2020, facing greater difficulties to rise.

Affected by COVID-19, the slaughtering time of hogs was delayed in February for transport restrictions nationwide. As hogs were intensively marketed in March, most of slaughterhouses forced pig prices down. In addition, the central government still has a firm determination of ensuring supply and stabilizing pork prices, and continued releasing frozen pork from its reserves into market. Driven by market and policies, the average price of pigs dropped below 35yuan/kg. 
Prediction on pig prices in April, 2020
It’s peak season of pig restocking, breeding pig and piglet transportation is frequently, and illegal transport generally exists. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has attached great importance to ASF outbreaks caused by pig transport. In order to effectively control the cross-regional spread of ASF, strictly fight illegal actions, ensure standardized and orderly transport of pigs, and promote the rapid recovery of pig production, the Ministry published an announcement that it will carry out special rectifications of illegal allocation and transportation of pigs for about 60 days from April 1 to June 1.
The special rectification activity will lead to a sharp decrease of live pig transport volume in April. Pig overstock will be a high probability in northern producing areas, slaughterhouses may take the opportunity to force pig prices down, so pig prices in North China are very probably to further decline. In southern sales areas, pig prices will rise for pig source shortage, and the price difference between the North and the South will be further enlarged in April.    
The decrease in the North will be larger than the growth in South in April, so the national pig price will remain stable or slightly decrease, averaging 35yuan/kg.
Prediction on piglet prices in April, 2020
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has carried out the 60-day special rectification of illegal allocation and transportation of pigs, which will make the trading volume of breeding pigs down in April, so the price of piglets will not rise greatly.
It’s predicted that domestic piglet prices will slightly rise to 90-91yuan/kg in April.