Analysis Of Features And Causes That Small-sized "Backyard" Farmers’ Exit Of The Hog Industry

The phenomenon that lots of farmers withdraw from breeding free-ranging pigs is quite prominent at present. Statistics has witnessed a drop of pig farmers from 10,792 in 2003 to 6,174 in 2010 throughout the country, reduced by 42.8%, and among those farmers are mostly free-ranging pig farmers. The withdrawal of free-ranging pig farmers has an influence on development of pig industry as well as production and living of farmers. However, this phenomenon is a trend under the circumstances of urbanization and industrialization. It has also implied transformation and reconstruction of agriculture and rural economic structures. The number of free-ranging pig farmers in Leshan has decreased continuously in recent years and there are some differences in terms of characteristics under different level of economic development.Based on questionnaire survey of 274 farmers in three regions in Leshan,that is, downtown area, Jingyan and Shawan, I make a summary and analysis about the characteristics and reasons that farmers quit. Characteristics are as follows:Firstly, a large number of farmers withdraw from breeding pigs; secondly, there is a cyclical fluctuation that free-ranging pig farmers withdraw;thirdly, young adults are more likely to withdraw than the older; fourthly, farmers that withdraw are almost undereducated; fifthly, those farmers almost have high income; Lastly, farmers that withdraw have smaller size of operation than those who don’t. There are also differences among the three regions. That is, farmers in relatively developed area are more likely to withdraw than those in undeveloped area; and young farmers in relatively developed area that has higher education and higher income prefer to withdraw from breeding pigs.According to the Likert scale, major reasons that lead to withdrawal from breeding free-ranging pigs in Leshan are wild fluctuations in prices,low price of pig, high price of fodder and high cost of production that result in losses. Besides, farmers find it uneasy to control diseases and have got no technical assistance. And some farmers change to operate non-agricultural projects. All these factors make influence to farmers. There are also differences among the three regions. In downtown area, large tracts of land are expropriated by government. And in Shawan and Jingyan, diseases give rise to the withdrawal of farmers.In the end, countermeasures and suggestions are made to guide farmers to withdraw orderly or make the transformation and upgrading go smoothly. (1)To stablize price of pig; to strengthen disease prevention and control;(2)To adopt effective measures and make active guides to ensure that farmers withdraw orderly.