China’s second-quarter pork production surged to its highest in at least seven years, official data showed last week, after producers launched thousands of new breeding farms last year to rebuild a hog herd decimated by the African swine fever (ASF).

Reuters reported pork output for April-June was 13.46 million metric tons, up 40% compared with the same period last year and well above the usual 10 million metric tons during this period, according to calculations based on official data.

The National...