Chinese pork production has dropped significantly due to the spread of African swine fever.

Tyler Fulton is the director of risk management with Hams Marketing Services.

"Chinese sources [have been] referenced as saying that their herd is down approximately 20 per cent," he said. "It splits out differently, sows to market animals, but in general they've effectively said that their herd is down 20 per cent. That's a pretty major hole to fill."

China is the world's largest pork producer and consumer.

Fulton commented on how China's decline in production could impact North American exports.

"I think that at some point, Chinese consumers will look to switch to other proteins, and even go without if it becomes cost prohibitive. There is a very significant difference between the domestic Chinese price and the price in North America. The Chinese price is significantly higher, so there is great potential to move that product."

He noted that producers in the European Union could also benefit.

Fulton talked about the impact that African swine fever will have going forward.

"This is probably the event, in the last 20 years, that has caused the most volatility and the greatest uncertainty, both short-term, and long-term for the pork complex," he said. "I don't think that the story is going anywhere. I think that we're going to be dealing with this for years and that this event is probably transformative to the industry."