Chinese province imports 91 pct more pork during Jan.-Sept.
Xinhua
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JINAN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- East China's Shandong Province greatly increased pork imports in the first three quarters of the year amid efforts to meet demand and dampen pork price rises.

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(Photo: VCG)

The province imported 229,000 tonnes of pork in the nine months, up 90.9 percent year on year, according to Meng Guangxiao, an official with Qingdao Customs. The main import sources are Spain, Canada, Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, Shandong imported 159,000 tonnes of beef, an annual increase of 80.5 percent, with Argentina, Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia among the main import sources.

The surge in meat imports came as the country moved to speed up market access for meat imports and diversify import sources to supplement the domestic pork supply gap.

China's pig herd has shrunk substantially due to an outbreak of African swine fever, leading to a pork supply gap and greatly pushing up pork prices.

In the week ending Oct. 13, the wholesale price of pork jumped 14.8 percent from a week ago, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Meng said the customs authorities will continue to promote trade facilitation and diversification and strengthen import inspection and quarantine work to help ensure food supply and safety.