China wants British pig semen

Joshua Keating writes about an international deal between Britain and China:

Pigs are a big deal for the Chinese economy, with almost 446 million of them—one for every three people and more than the next 43 countries' combined. Fluctuations in global pork prices have drive the country’s exchange rate, and analysts have joked that CPI actually stands for "China Pork Index."

According to the FT, British pigs “grow faster, eat less food and, crucially, reproduce much more quickly than their Chinese counterparts,” so the hope is that superior sperm will help Chinese pork manufacturers keep up demand. This is the second major international Chinese pork deal of the year after Shuanghui International Holding's purchase of Smithfield Foods earlier this year, in the biggest Chinese takeover of a U.S. company ever.

Thanks to Glenn Reynolds for linking to this article.