December 22, 2011

China's meat production this year is expected increase 0.3% to 79.5 million tonnes, the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday (Dec 14).

The estimated growth slowed from last year's 3.6% rise due to a decline in pork output this year. Pork accounts for about 65% of China's meat consumption.

The ministry also expects China's egg production to grow 0.4% to 27.75 million tonnes and dairy production to rise 2.1% to 38.25 million tonnes.

China produced 54.53 million tonnes of meat in the first nine months of the year, up 0.2%, the National Bureau of Statistics said earlier.

Pork production in the January-September period fell 0.6% to 35.68 million tonnes.