Spiralling pork prices caused by African swine fever threaten to undermine the image of China’s ruling Communist party and economic stability, a top official has said, as one city began selling rations of the meat at discounted prices.
Prices of pork, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of China’s meat consumption, rose more than 25 per cent in August from July, with hog prices surpassing a 2016 record of Rmb21 per kilogramme, according to consultancy Shanghai JC Intelligence.
Increasing pork production is a “major political task”, Hu Chunhua, a Chinese vice-premier and member of the politburo, told top officials at a meeting late last week, according to a transcript of his comments seen by the Financial Times.