French deli meats makers are being squeezed by a surge in pork prices linked to an African swine fever epidemic that has decimated the pig herd in China, they said on Thursday, warning of potential bankruptcies in the sector. African swine fever, a highly contagious virus, has spread to every province on the Chinese mainland since August last year, killing millions of animals and prompting China – the world’s biggest pork producer – to turn to imports earlier this year. In a knock-on effect, French live pork prices have gained 24% since early March, with a rise of as much as 30% for some ingredients used in making deli meats like saucisson, cooked ham and dry-cured ham, making it hard for producers to pass such price rises on to clients, industry association FICT said.
