Pork Price Hike in China

Latest official figures show China's pork prices, a stable meat in the country and a key driver of inflation, has hit a new record high, rising 0.7 percent last week from the previous week.

The Ministry¹ of Commerce said that was the fifth consecutive² weekly rise in the price of pork.

Spikes³ in the cost of pork and other food items have constantly driven up Chinese consumer inflation, although the meat only accounts for 3 percent of China's consumer price index basket.

In August, pork prices rose some 46 percent from a year earlier, contributing 1.3 percentage points to the annual inflation of 6.2 percent.

For more about China's pork price hike, here CRI's Zeng Liang.

 
Pork has been an important element in China's food culture. There are almost half a billion pigs in China, one for every three people. But since last year, the price of pork has seen an abnormal surge.

Customers complain they're feeling the pinch.

"The price has risen too much, but pork is for sure a necessity in our daily diet. We cannot do without it. So now we consume less pork, and more chicken and duck as the alternatives."

"Last year, the least popular parts of pig cost only 7 yuan, but now the price is around 14."

The demand for pork has tripled amongst rural residents and doubled amongst urban dwellers⁴ over the last 20 years.

In China, most pigs are raised by small scale pig farms. These small scale farms do not have the capability⁵ or capacity to process their product from start to finish.

From these farms to supermarkets, pigs have to go through breeders, slaughterhouses and processors. Analysts⁶ believe the fragmentation has crippled the supply chain.

Li Guoqiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the old system has to change.

"Large scale farming is necessary, because the cost for small farms is too high. The information flow through the Internet can help to decrease the cost, but it is not sufficient. Other supporting measures like logistics are also needed."

While many countries have strategic oil and grain reserves, China also possesses a national pork reserve.

The Ministry of Commerce initiated⁷ a live hog⁸ reserve that began operating in 2007.

Authorities have said it planned to release part of the central government's 200,000-metric-tons of frozen pork into the market in an attempt to cap rising prices.

For CRI, I'm Zeng Liang.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

3 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

8 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。