In Anhui Province, pork prices dropped two percent in mid August from a month earlier with the decline in demand after some customers turned to beef, mutton and chicken, said Dong Weixing, director of the provincial animal husbandry bureau.

Dong said more pigs will be born in autumn to increase supply and the country has issued a string of policies to encourage breeders, which will help curb the pork prices.

The country will allocate another 115 million yuan (US$15.19 million) to help the province set up more pig breeding plants, he said.

In Zhejiang Province, the wholesale price dropped 0.24 yuan per kilogram last week to 15.06 yuan, said Dai Xuming, a senior official with the provincial agriculture and forestry department.