Environmentalists in Argentina protest proposed pork trade agreement with China
Environmental campaigners took to the streets of Buenos Aires last week to protest a potential agreement between Argentina and China that would scale up pork production in the Latin American country.
1 September 2021
3 minute read
By: A group of environmentalists protested in front of the Chinese Embassy in Argentina on 25 August, saying that a proposed “pork pact” would deepen the world’s on-going ecological and climate crises. The agreement between China and Argentina would establish industrial swine operations across Argentina that produced pork for the export market, mainly China. Environmental campaigners balked at the number of big farming operations, saying that large-scale hog production comes with “high health risks”.
Flavia Broffoni, an activist with the Rebelion o Extincion Argentina organization, said that the accord with China will mean “developing the biggest animal industrialization project in Argentine history to export hogs to a country that decided to move (pork) production outside its own territory because of African swine fever.”
Climate Save Argentina, an organization that participated in the protest, released a statement saying that pig health welfare could be compromised at the mega-facilities. Other groups highlighted that Argentina lacks the water and feed infrastructure to support the proposed farms.
Argentine officials have denied that the agreement has been signed.
