‘Record high’ pork prices to continue, health secretary says, as African Swine Fever strangles supply to Hong Kong

Pig auction prices hit more than HK$4,000 per picul this week, more than double prices in May

Professor Sophia Chan warns ‘shrinkage in supply and soaring prices’ to continue in the short term

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A butcher on Saturday at Sha Tin Market, where in the past week the price for pork reached HK$4,400 per picul, a traditional Chinese unit of about 60kg. Photo: May Tse

Published: 9:24pm, 13 Jul 2019Updated: 9:56pm, 13 Apr 2020

Hong Kong was hit with record pork prices in the past week with African swine fever reducing the supply of live pigs from mainland China and the food and health minister warning of an ongoing shortage.

As the outbreak’s damage continued, there were fears the private Tsuen Wan slaughterhouse faced closure because of the recent drop in mainland pigs.

Pork trade representatives described pig auction prices, which reached more than HK$4,000 (US$511) per picul, this week, as at “record high” level, more than double the roughly HK$1,600 in May. While the average price had dropped to HK$2,557 on Saturday, it was still around 60 per cent higher than the May price. A picul is a unit of weight equal to 60kg or 133 pounds.

Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee, the city’s food and health secretary, wrote in a blog on Saturday that the culling of more than 1 million pigs on the mainland in the past year had greatly affected the supply in Hong Kong. The virus is deadly to hogs but harmless to humans.

“We feel anxious about the current shrinkage in supply and soaring prices,” Chan wrote. “Facing this epidemic, which has been around for 100 years, the live pig supply might not quickly return to the past level within a short period of time.”

Fresh pork at Sha Tin Market on Saturday. Prices have soared since two case of African swine fever were reported in May. Photo: May Tse