China's duck farmers cash in as disease slashes pork output

Ducks are fed at a farm in Jiaxiang county, Shandong province, China, July 16, 2019. Picture taken July 16, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee

JIAXIANG, China (Reuters) - On a 30-hectare (74-acre) plot of land in China's Shandong province poultry hub, more than half a million white-feathered ducks are busy eating, chattering and laying eggs to produce cheap meat for thousands of factory canteens.

With birds already packed into around 60 open-sided buildings, farm owner Shenghe Group is expanding further, aiming to raise output by 30% this year to capture record profits as a plunge in pig numbers shrinks production of pork, China's favourite meat.