THE State Council said Tuesday it wants large-scale pig farms to make up 58 percent of the total by 2022 to help improve the stability of pork supplies.

It did not say how it defines large farms or what the current level is.

Analysts at Dutch bank Rabobank have said that farms producing more than 10,000 pigs a year only accounted for 18 percent of the total in 2016.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Monday it will offer subsidies of up to 5 million yuan (US$700,000) to support the construction of large-scale pig farms.

In a document published online Tuesday, the State Council laid out other measures to stabilize pork supply in the country, including urging provincial authorities to offer temporary subsidies to large farms in the major pig production counties.

It also called on big consuming regions to support pig production in other areas with significant production.

The document said large farms should account for 65 percent of the total by 2025.

The move comes as official figures show China’s hog herd, the world’s largest, has shrunk by almost a third since a year ago, after African swine fever swept across the country.

Pork prices began rising sharply in June in response to the reduced supplies, reaching a fresh record last month, and China has warned that they will go higher.

The NDRC also said the top economic planner will also subsidize 100 counties to set up facilities to collect, treat and reuse manure from pig and poultry farms.(SD-Agencies)