Swine Fever Outbreak May Bury China’s Small Pig Farmers

Swine Fever Outbreak May Bury China’s Small Pig Farmers
Pigs are seen on the farm of pig farmer Han Yi at a village in Changtu County, Liaoning Province, China on Jan. 17, 2019. Ryan Woo/Reuters
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CHANGTU COUNTY, China—For farmers Zhang Shiping and Bai Fuqin in northeast China, there is little to celebrate this Lunar New Year.

Since African swine fever struck a farm in nearby Shenyang City last August, the couple has racked up about 300,000 yuan ($44,712.72) in debt, 10 times what they make in a good year raising pigs.