China Increasing Pig Numbers
17 September 2008
CHINA - China’s pig numbers increased 11% in August compared with the same period last year, as the government’s policy to support pork, dairy and egg production encouraged farmers to submit information about their breeding businesses.
According to China’s Ministry of Agriculture, who monitors more than 20 major pig producing provinces, pig slaughter during August increased 16% year-on-year.
China’s pork, milk and egg production has fluctuated since 2007, with price increases contributing to the country’s soaring inflation. The support policy has reportedly been effective, with food prices during August, which account for more than a third of the inflation calculation, easing 4 percentage points from July - registering a 10% annual increase.
Meat prices in August climbed 8% compared with last year, but back 8 percentage points from July, while significant rises were also reported in the prices of cooking oil (23%), seafood (16%) and grain prices (8%).
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