Chinese consumers, especially the middle class and older buyers, are increasingly turning to traditional black pork, dissatisfied with mass-produced white pork breeds imported from the West.

Axar.az reports that black pork, valued for its richer taste and nostalgic appeal, is marketed as a premium product and sells at up to four times the price of ordinary pork.

Amid years of falling pork prices, overcapacity, and losses caused by weak demand and African swine fever, black pork has become a profitable lifeline for farmers. Many producers are shifting to black pig farming, with profits rising sharply and herd numbers expanding.

Analysts expect China’s black pig population to grow rapidly, reaching around 5% of the country’s total pig herd by 2026.