Despite official efforts to counter the soaring price of pork on the mainland, shoppers were still concerned yesterday that the price of other everyday necessities would follow the rising cost of the meat. Evidence of the concern was also apparent on Sunday when shoppers lined up for more than a kilometre outside a Guangzhou supermarket at 8am to buy pork on special for 15.8 yuan per kilogram, the Information Times reported. The one tonne in stock was sold out in less than 40 minutes. Retired Shenzhen official He Zhijian said the price of pork was rising by the day. 'Last month, fresh pork only cost 9 yuan per kilogram. It was more than 28 yuan per kilogram last night. I don't know how much higher the price is today.' Jian Jiemin , the mother of a newborn baby, said she may have to forgo a tradition. 'In Guangdong tradition, we cook pork and eggs for friends and neighbours who come to see our baby. I may skip this tradition because of the soaring prices.' 'Eggs, beef, fish, chicken and other meat products seem to be more expensive than usual, following the pork price rises. 'Our living costs are much higher than before. Maybe we can wait to have a flat, but we can't wait to eat.' Several city and provincial governments have been trying to counteract the increases but to little effect. Mainland media have reported that shortfalls in stock and high feed prices have led to double-digit percentage price increases for the meat in several places, including Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Shenyang . Xinhua reports the State Council has sent a team of investigators to Guangdong to look into the issue. At the weekend, Premier Wen Jiabao paid a visit to Shaanxi province , where he visited pig farmers and markets, emphasising the importance of maintaining price stability. Also, the Guangdong Price Control Administration has announced it will offer subsidies to the poor to help them cope with the rising costs. State radio said Jiangsu already has asked the central government to use the Central Meat Reserve to alleviate the shortfalls, and Xinhua said Jiangxi indicated it might join the call if the situation worsened. Industry insiders said whatever measures are taken, they cannot remedy the situation overnight. Liu Yi, a researcher at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, said the government should not intervene in the market. Professor Liu said the measures that the government had taken were designed to appease a public worried about the frequent price rises of recent years. 'China has been in a price growth cycle for a few years. It means inflation has become more and more serious,' he said. 'Society has been experiencing soaring prices on many things, such as fuel and property. 'The public is more and more sensitive to price increases in all kinds of products. 'When it comes to the living necessaries, such as pork or rice, local authorities have to use what administrative clout they have to cap the product costs and ease the pressure on the public.'
