Pork is a staple around the world. While some religions ban the consumption of the meat, the Chinese consume more pork than any other nation on the face of the earth. In 2019, an outbreak of African Swine Fever decimated the pig population in China, causing a severe shortage. The Chinese government had to dip into strategic frozen pork reserves to satisfy demand.
Meanwhile, the hog market is a case study when it comes to how protectionist policies can distort prices. Tariffs and retaliatory measures often cause supply-demand deficits in some parts of the world,