China to take measures to stabilise hog prices as needed

China's Ministry of Agriculture has asked its local branches to strengthen the monitoring of hog output data and to be ready to take measures to prevent a further drop in hog prices.

Local branches should aim to stabilise hog prices, implementing preliminary measures to prevent an excessive decline, the ministry said in a statement published on its Web site.

Many industry participants are concerned that the outbreak of the A/H1N1 flu virus, initially known as swine flu, could slash demand and cause a further fall in hog prices if people become more reluctant to consume pork, even though the virus is being spread by humans, not pigs.

Pork prices have fallen 23 percent so far this year due to ample domestic supply.

The ministry has also asked local branches to strengthen monitoring of epidemic diseases, especially of hogs, and to prevent the outbreak of A/H1N1 flu in the country.