China identifies cause of swine fever outbreak

China’s

agriculture ministry said yesterday it would ban the feeding of kitchen waste to pigs after linking the practice to the majority of the early cases of African swine fever.

The statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is the government’s first comment on how the deadly disease has spread in the world’s top pork producer.

China has reported more than 40 outbreaks of the highly contagious disease since early August, with farms across 12 provinces and municipalities already infected. (Reuters)