Cheuk Wing-hing, acting permanent secretary for food and health, said at a meeting of a Legislative Council panel on food safety and environmental hygiene yesterday that government officials had met with a live pig dealer to ensure a stable supply of live pigs from the mainland following the recent shortage.

The agent, Ng Fung Hong Ltd, had worked with mainland suppliers to secure a steady supply of live pigs, he said.

"After these measures were introduced, the daily supply picked up on 4 July to about 85 per cent of the normal level," he said.

The daily supply included 4,000 pigs from the mainland and 600-700 from local sources, he said, adding that there had been no major increases in the auction price of live pigs.

Earlier this month, daily imports of live pigs from the mainland declined to 3,000- 3,400, compared to the normal level of 4,500.

The decline was due to a pork shortage on the mainland, resulting in higher wholesale prices in Hong Kong.