Since August last year the African plague of pigs has spread to every province of mainland China, killing millions of animals and prompting China - the world's largest pork producer - to turn to import in the beginning of this year. Exports to China from the EU in the first three months of 2019 increased by 25.9 percent compared to the same period last year. It has become a powerful driver of growth of prices for pork in France.

"This price increase is a burden on the French meat processors, as business deals were signed before the jump in prices, and now we have to convince clients to take their increase", - said journalists the Chairman FICT Bernard Vallat, former head of the world organisation for animal health (OIE).

Transactions between suppliers and retailers are discussed once a year in France and close at the end of February. Buyers are not obliged to accept the price increase after that without a special clause in the contract. If the retailers do not agree on the rise, the industry is threatened by bankruptcy.