Japan's wagyu beef prices may increase because of declining rice straw supplies, reports The Japan Times. Since the outbreak of African swine fever in China, a large portion of the feed has been banned from entering Japan, as the disease can be transmitted to pigs via contaminated feed. Already, Japan has suspended straw shipments from 25 of the 80 Chinese processing facilities approved for imports. The 25 banned facilities are within a 50 kilometer radius of Chinese pig farms contending with African swine fever.
Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry fears that eventually no supplies of rice straw will be available as the disease spreads. The ministry's animal health division notes it may have to find alternative supply sources for rice straw, or use alternatives such as wheat straw from the U.S. or Australia. Full Story
Related: Wagyu Beef Sees Increased Popularity Globally; Starbucks to Accelerate Growth in Japan.
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