ARC President: The price of pork meat will triple next year | Progresiv
In the context of the crisis caused by the African swine fever, the price for pork meat will triple in 2020 and, more than that, there is a risk that the producers of pork preparations will not find the necessary raw materials, said Radu Timis, the president Romanian Meat Association (ARC), at the press conference "The future of the pork growing and processing industry". 
"We are very close to a new food crisis. This year the prices for pork have doubled and I estimate that next year we are talking about a tripling. The Chinese government is buying pork from the big European producers and this means that we will not have where to get our raw material. If in China the pork reached 6 euros per kilogram, in Romania the average is somewhere at 4 euros. Beyond the increase in prices, I do not know if we will have where to buy meat and I do not know what will happen to our industry”, pointed out Radu Timis.
Beyond these issues, the ARC president underlined that it is not excluded that we will see a rise in prices for beef or poultry. "The consumption will go to poultry, beef, sheep or even vegetarianism. But one thing is certain: half of the protein on this planet is gone. From what I have talked with the chains of stores, the necessary quantities have been provided in advance, I suppose that the problems will start from February to March”, added Radu Timis.
According to the INS data, the industrial production of meat products was 175,946 tonnes in the first semester, compared to 324,175 tonnes at the end of 2018. As for the import-export, the situation is somewhat balanced, Romania imported in the first six months 26,510 tons of meat products, while exports stood at 26,326 tons.
