Livestock New Market Reports Reveal Interesting Trends in the Hog Sector The most recent data release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) indicates the reproductive sow inventory rose .5 percent in July to 42.98 million head. That marks three straight months of increases and seemingly a complete reversal of the goal to reach a range of 41 to 41.5 million head in order to stabilize the market. Yet, MARA contends that the current total is just 4.8 percent above the target putting it within the so called green zone of plus or minus 5 percent, which the ministry feels is good enough to maintain a theoretical healthy balance between supply and demand. Meanwhile, import data from China’s Customs Bureau show frozen po...