Septembet 6, 2007

Hong Kong's high pork prices to stay despite drop in the Mainland

While pork prices on the Mainland have fallen more than 6 percent in recent weeks, Hong Kong's pork prices remain high, prompting authorities to ponder if wholesalers were unfairly benefiting.

Most of the pork in Hong Kong comes from China. Hong Kong consumers have been paying high prices since May because of a shortage of pigs in the mainland due to an outbreak of blue-ear disease.

While Chinese authorities said a series of government policies had helped restore the supply of live pigs and stabilized prices, they also cautioned that the high prices were likely to say for another six months.

Hong Kong seems resigned to the fact of high prices staying, with Consumer Council chief executive Connie Lau Yin-hing saying the public can do little but put up with soaring pork prices.

Hong Kong has just one pork importer- Ng Fung Hong, who declined to comment.