A report has been published that provides a background on the issue of pig factory farming in Argentina, especially concerning a potential agreement with China to export pig meat. The report, authored by Dr Silvina Pezzetta, and titled “The Path Towards CAFO In Argentina: The 2020 Argentina-China Agreement and The Absence of Animal Welfare Considerations In the Intensification of Animal Agriculture”, covers the historical, economic, and political aspects of animal agriculture and Chinese diplomatic relations in Argentina, as well as the animal welfare implications of the agreement. Environmentalists and small- and medium-sized pig producers opposed the agreement, but although animal protection organisations also do, animal welfare arguments against have been mostly absent on the environmentalist side so as not to upset the small producers. The absence of animal rights and vegan messages in the campaign to stop these mage pig farms is unfortunate, and the author of the report suggests this should change.
Animal farming has a long tradition in Argentina, especially the farming of cows and bulls for meat. Animal agriculture is still mainly extensive or semi-extensive, but the government has taken steps to intensify it more. In 2020, the national government agreed with China to open mega pig farms in the country. According to the author of the report, the Argentinian government is interested in exporting pig meat as it does not compete with cows or soy, two of its major exports, and China, where pig flesh is the most consumed meat, is seeking pig meat from other countries due to the recent outbreak of African Swine Flu (ASF) in 2019 that affected domestic pig suppliers.
The Argentine province Chaco had already signed an agreement with a Chinese company in 2020 to create three mega pig farms, but so far this is the only development on this deal in the country because of the backlash in early 2020 when it was announced that the Argentine Association of Pig Producers (AAPP) and the China Association for Promotion of Industrial Development (CAPID) had signed a memorandum to establish pig factory farms around Argentina.
