Pig disease will keep pork prices up for rest of year
16/7/2007 9:32
Blue-ear pig disease remains a severe challenge in the Yangtze River
valley, the Ministry of Agriculture warned in an emergency notice on
Saturday.
The disease, which broke out early this year, has contributed
to rapidly rising pork prices across the nation.
The slaughter, eating,
selling and transport of diseased pigs is banned.
Nearly 40,000 pigs or
27.5 percent of those with the disease had died in 586 epidemic areas by July
10, the ministry said.
Though the disease is largely under control, high
temperatures and high humidity make it impossible to rule out further outbreaks.
The ministry said a shortage of vaccines should be overcome by the end of the
month.
It said people without fixed duties should be forbidden from
entering breeding farms and epidemic areas must be strictly
quarantined.
Local governments have been ordered to double-check every
outbreak report and brief the ministry as quickly as possible.
Anyone who
covers up or lies about an outbreak will be punished severely in line with the
law, the ministry said.
Assistant Minister of Commerce Huang Hai said
pork will continue to be expensive for the rest of the year because the supply
shortfall cannot be resolved quickly.
Pork wholesale prices polled by the
finance ministry in 36 large and medium cities averaged 18.57 yuan (US$2.44) a
kilogram on July 11, up nearly 30 percent from the 14.25 yuan on May
11.
The average retail price for lean pork has exceeded 22 yuan a
kilogram.
The highly contagious disease, also known as Porcine
Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, often causes miscarriage and other
reproductive problems in pigs.
As a result, many farmers are reluctant to
replenish their breeding stocks, despite higher pork prices.
The number
of live pigs in stock in May was down more than 15 percent year-on-year and the
sales of sows in June were down more than 20 percent, according to a joint
survey by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministries of
Agriculture and Commerce.
Huang assured the public that the government is
capable of securing pork supply.
Commerce, agricultural and economic
planning departments have been urged to overhaul policies on pork
reserves.
Xinhua
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