As Lunar New Year Holiday Nears, Less Pork in China

Many Asian countries are making final preparations for Lunar New Year celebrations. In China, the Lunar New Year holiday will begin this Friday, January 24. Under the country's traditional zodiac system, the next 12 months will be known as the Year of the Rat.

Food is an important part of the yearly celebration, and pork -- the meat from pigs -- is central to many Lunar New Year meals.

But this year could be different in China because of African swine fever virus, also known as African swine flu. The disease, which affects farm animals, has led to the loss of huge numbers of pigs on Chinese farms.

Swine flu has affected¹ the country's meat industry in a big way. Official records released last week showed that pork production fell by 21 percent over the past year. In addition, the agriculture ministry² reported that the number of pigs kept at Chinese farms had fallen by 40 percent by October.

As a result, pork prices all over the country have increased by about 200 percent because of a shortage. The high price of pork has added to inflation, which has now reached an eight-year high.

A Reuters news agency reporter spoke³ to Xu, a woman from central China. Her family lost their herd⁴ of pigs to swine flu. Now, she is sharply cutting back on her use of pork for the holiday.

"Pork just costs too much. People can't bear the price."

China's government has provided more the 200,000 tons of frozen pork since December to increase supplies for the Lunar New Year holiday. The country also imported 375,000 tons in December – a record amount.

Less pork more chicken and duck?

During the winter months, traditional cured pork products such as la rou are very popular. But this season, la rou sellers are reporting slow sales and fewer people looking to buy.

Zhang Sheng has sold cured pork in a market in the city of Guiyang for the past five years.

"This year, pork is very expensive so individual customers are buying less (la rou)," Zhang said.

In Shanghai, four cured pork makers⁵ told Reuters that their businesses are suffering because of price increases between 20 and 30 percent.

"I imagine many people will be having more chicken and duck this New Year," one seller said.

Words in This Story

zodiac – n. a repeating cycle, or series, of 12 years, with each year represented by an animal

herd –n. a group of large animals that live or are kept together

cured –adj. something processed to become dryer⁶, harder or to last longer

expensive –adj. something that is costly

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 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。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

5 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。