Increased levels of cat and dog ownership in the mainland are starting to create potential niche opportunities for foreign pet food suppliers.
CHINA'S RISING URBAN incomes have made cat and dog ownership more affordable, and while government regulations covering specific types of pet ownership are strict, enforcement has become lax. A new report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service cites the case of a Guangzhou supermarket executive who said that it cost about Yn1,500 to feed and care for his dog every month. For other owners, the cost tends to be less.
The price of bagged cat and dog food in southern China is about Yn20 per kilogram, and slightly more for canned food, says the report. Much of the pet food sold in supermarkets is the dry variety and is usually sold in heavy-duty laminated paper bags. Most imported pet food comes in cans.
The largest producer in China is $%%