Ministry chiefs, together with the health and agriculture ministries and police, have said that they will step up checks to make sure no illegally slaughtered pigs or tainted pork find their way into the market.

China's pig industry has been ravaged by Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) since the the Spring. It has killed more than a million last year, although the government says the disease is no under control and infections have fallen following a state-organised vaccination campaign.

The outbreak has contributed to soaring domestic pork prices and put pressure on national inflation levels. It prompted Premier Wen Jiabao to visit a pig farm where he pledged to ensure meat for the poor of the pork-loving nation.

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