China’s pork supply worries increase as local authorities offer discounts to quell rising anger over soaring prices
- Nanning city in the Guangxi autonomous region and two cities in Fujian province offer residents discounts after African swine fever limits supply
- Pork prices have doubled since July, reaching record highs of 30 yuan (US$4.2) to 33 yuan per kilogram, surpassing analyst expectations
Local governments in China have moved to quell increased anger over rising pork prices by offering discounts on purchases of the country's most popular meat, which has seen its supply hit by the outbreak of African swine fever.
Customers are only able to buy a small quantity of discounted pork every day, suggesting the serious supply shortage will keep pressure on pork prices and test the government’s ability to control public discontent.
In Nanning, the capital city of southern China’s Guangxi autonomous region, coupons have been distributed since Sunday offering a 10 per cent discount on the average market price for pork over the previous 10 days, according to the government-backed Nanning Evening News.
The discount, though, will only be available at 10 pilot sites, with each local resident restricted to just 1kg per day.
Feng Yonghui, chief analyst at industry portal Soozhu.com, believes the discounted meat has been taken from the government’s frozen pork reserves, although some residents said they would not buy the frozen meat despite the discount.
“We locals still like to eat fresh meat, it is still hard for us to accept frozen meat. I don’t go to the pork stalls often any more because [pork is] too expensive,” said Li Liqiong, a 65-year-old Nanning resident, who added that worries over the African swine fever virus and antibiotics left in the pork have pushed him towards alternative meats such as chicken, duck and fish.