China’s pork shortage puts dog and rabbit meat back on the menu in rural communities
- The price of pork continues to surge across China because of supply shortages driven by the poor handling of African swine fever
- Chinese people are looking for alternatives, including dog and rabbit, as the country’s most popular meat becomes unaffordable
Like most small restaurants in this rural part of Wan’an county in Jiangxi province, the Little Wealth God does not have a menu. Diners go directly to the kitchen to pick vegetables, fish and raw meat and let the chef know how they would like them cooked.
But due to its spiralling price, China’s most popular meat, pork, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, many locals are opting for a traditional dish that had lost appeal until recently.
“Why not choose dog meat if you want some meat?” the waiter recommended, adding high prices meant most diners no longer felt it worthwhile to order pork.
As pork prices continue to soar, discontent is growing among the public, especially among low-income groups. It is also dampening consumer sentiment and belies Beijing’s attempts to convince people of the country’s bright economic future.