Processing – Chinese style
There are six large processing plants in the vicinity of Beijing. The plants are a combination of state owned with private investors, with the combination being 80% state and 20% private.
Pork is the most consumed meat in China. However, the outbreak of PRRS (Blue Ear) has caused major supply problems for processors. The shortage has turn pushed up pork prices and even increased inflation.
The large Chinese processing plants have been able to better deal with the impact of supply chain problems than the smaller, local plants through the efficiency advantages of modern processes and equipment.
The Beijing fifth meat packing plant slaughters and processes 23,000 pigs per week and is run by. Western plant managers will interested to know that this plant operates seven days a week, 365 days a year. The plant operates a single ten hour shift system, commencing at 9 am. and finishing at 7pm. , so although operating seven days a week there is still reasonable time for maintenance. The plant employs 700 staff including a significant number of drivers as the plant operates its own delivery service.
Need for leaner pigs
Pigs are sourced up to 800 kilometers from the plant and transportation can take up to ten hours. Producers sell their pigs on an annual contract. Plant general manager Wu Qi Cheng is trying to get his producers to use large white and landrace breeds, as the Pietrain is prone to stress and the plant has trouble removing the hair from Duroc carcases. Some male pigs go down the line, but the vast majorities are castrates.
“I’m keen to obtain leaner pigs, just as is the case in Europe,” stated Wu. The plant stipulates a live weight of 85 -95 kilogram’s which is not very heavy, but heavier pigs are too fat according to Wu. This is a potential opportunity for some good genetic imports by enterprising producers.
Milk spot has not been a problem for almost six years, but producers are required to worm their pigs every six month.
Modern equipment
The processing and cutting equipment has been imported mainly from the Netherlands, but the plant also has Danish machinery, the only plant in southern China to have this technology. The chill rooms are big enough to supply the cutting lines for ten hours before running out of carcases. The plant has a very efficient effluent treatment plant which cost 600,000 euros and which uses 2000 tines of water daily. Pigs are stunned electrically although some plants use carbon dioxide.
Importance of HACCP
Beijing fifth meat packing plant has had its HACCP certification since September 2005 and because of this can command higher prices for its products.
The plant produces over 100 different lines. Contracts are in place to supply local and foreign supermarkets in Beijing such as Carrefour and Wal – mart. The plant also supplies some of the big hotels and was supplying products for the Chinese communist party congress, which is held every five years in central Beijing.
Delivery problems
The plant has its own fleet of 100, two tines delivery trucks. In order to best Beijing’s horrendous traffic jams, deliveries start during the afternoon and go on through the night. Products are also shipped to other parts of China and the long tern aim is for the plant to obtain its export license in order to gain access to valuable foreign markets.
Traceability
The plant has a large well equipped laboratory where pork products are checked for antibiotics and bacterial contamination. A traceability programme is being implemented and the initial phase (farm to slaughter house) will be completed by may 2008.