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News: 150 days from birth is the average time you need to sell your pigs for slaughter and it is about 85 kgs on average.
 
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mikey
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« Reply #30 on: June 03, 2010, 08:04:49 AM »

China reopens to Irish pork.
[3 June 2010] China has fully reopened its market to Irish pork imports, ending a ban since the dioxin scare in December 2008, announced Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith. The announcement followed meetings in Beijing between Mr Smith and his Chinese counterpart Han Changfu together with Wang Yong, the minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Mr Smith said he expected the pork trade with China to hit EUR 20 million immediately, double that when the market was closed to Irish exporters in 2008. During the meetings Mr Smith also pressed for the opening of the Chinese market to Irish beef and other meat products. In the case of beef, he emphasized his commitment to fulfilling China’s requirements for the resumption of this trade. Irish statistics show that their pork exports to China accounted for 25% of the world’s total in 2008.
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« Reply #31 on: June 19, 2010, 11:52:53 AM »

Study: Pandemic Virus Enters Pigs, Swaps Genes
HONG KONG - The H1N1 flu virus has been spreading quietly in pigs in Hong Kong and swapping genes with other viruses, and researchers said the findings support calls for tighter disease surveillance in pigs before new bugs can emerge and infect people.



The finding, published in Science today, is important as it supports the theory that flu viruses infecting swine can swap genes with other viruses that are in pigs, including more dangerous bugs like the H5N1 or H9N2 bird flu viruses.

Malik Peiris, an influenza expert who worked on the study, said the discovery underlines the importance of disease surveillance in pigs.

"It demonstrates the pandemic virus can easily go back to pigs. Once it does so, it can reassort with other pig viruses and give rise to potentially unexpected consequences," said Peiris, a microbiology professor at the University of Hong Kong.

Citing Reuters, Malaysia's The Star Online reports that Dr Peiris and colleagues, including Guan Yi at the University of Hong Kong, have found pandemic H1N1 viruses in nasal swabs taken from apparently healthy pigs at a Hong Kong abattoir during routine checks since October 2009.

"From genetic analysis, what it suggests is each of those viruses we found in pigs all came from humans," Dr Peiris said in a telephone interview.

"It is not surprising because the pandemic virus emerged from pigs, so it is not surprising that it goes back to pigs."

Pandemic virus swaps genes in pigs
A sample isolated from Hong Kong pigs in January 2010 carried genes from three viruses - the pandemic H1N1, a European "avian like" H1N1 and a so-called "triple reassortant" virus containing bits of human, pig and bird flu viruses which was first discovered in North America in 1998.

"This suggests that the pig is a place where the pandemic virus might actually change and reassort and get new properties possibly," Dr Peiris said.

"The pandemic virus in humans has been extremely stable. It hasn't changed at all even though people were concerned it might reassort and mix with human viruses ... but it seems that it can mix with other flu viruses (in a pig)."

Genetic research has suggested that H1N1, first identified in people in April 2009, had in fact been circulating for at least a decade and probably in pigs. Despite tight controls on herd to protect them from people, little checking is done globally to see whether food herds are infected and if so, with what viruses.

Studies in the past year have turned up pigs in Canada and other countries infected with the pandemic H1N1 virus, evidently carried to the animals by people.

"I must emphasise the point that it doesn't mean that pork is dangerous to eat at all (if well cooked). What it means is it is important to carry out systematic surveillance in pigs so we know what is going on in pigs in regard to influenza viruses in general and the pandemic virus in particular," Dr Peiris said.

Pigs are the reservoir of many human, bird and swine viruses and experts often refer to them as an ideal mixing vessel for new, and possibly more dangerous pathogens.

Asked if there was a possibility of the H1N1 getting mixed up with the H5N1, Dr Peiris said: "That is certainly a possibility, that's why we need to keep track.

"If it is quite able to readily reassort and pick up genes from pig viruses, you might have other combinations of genes that can arise. Unless we are alert to it, we potentially could have a virus that is ... more virulent coming back to humans."

Although H5N1 is a mostly avian virus, it causes more severe illness in people than seasonal flu and kills 60 per cent of the people it infects. It has infected 499 people and killed 295 of them since re-emerging in 2003.

The World Health Organisation said early in June that the H1N1 pandemic was not yet over although its most intense activity has passed in many parts of the world.

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« Reply #32 on: July 12, 2010, 07:29:23 AM »

VIV China to Reflect Growth Perspectives
CHINA - The 'Grand International Edition' of VIV China will be held in Beijing on 6 to 8 September 2010. The international world of suppliers and buyers active in China will come together at the NCIEC, located near the international airport.


More than 250 national and international exhibitors at VIV China 2010 will represent their solutions within the Feed-to-Meat chain. The organizers expect a strong representation of buyers from all over China.

Chances and challenges
It is a well-known fact that China currently is front runner in the world in the field of growth opportunities for the animal production and processing industry. The country has huge potential for expanding its domestic agro-food industry as well as the production of the systems needed to support the industry. Rising living standards not only lead to a greater consumption of meat and therefore the demand for feed, but also result in a greater diversity of meat consumption, which, in turn, has an impact on the types of feed produced. While pig and poultry feeds dominate production, highest growth rates are being recorded for production of dairy and aqua feeds. This growth in demand for meat, and consequently feed, will present China with increasing challenges. According to the Rabobank, there are already large regional variations in the availability of feed ingredients and, as demand rises, the country will have to look to importing more cheaply, processing more efficiently, or finding alternatives. Ruwan Berculo, project manager for VIV Asia Pacific added: "The Chinese economy is growing rapidly, with an increasing focus on the private sector. Chinese entrepreneurs are ambitious, impulsive and rapid decision-makers. The Chinese economy is a Power House, driven by innovations. Now is the time to invest in your Chinese network."

Graded eggs
The market for graded eggs in China is also expanding rapidly. The ongoing urbanisation results in more graded eggs in the supermarkets. Providing such a top quality eggs required is a niche in the market for the Chinese egg industry. At the largest VIV China 2010 booth, Moba will focus on the wide range of egg grading and packing machines, from 1,600 to 180,000 eggs per hour.

Country pavilions
Many countries will be represented by a country pavilion at VIV China 2010. A large Dutch delegation has joined forces for the Dutch pavilion. The Dutch pavilion is a cooperation between the VIV organisers and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. The Holland Pavilion will have a special focus on trade and matchmaking possibilities. Korea, France and the Illinois Department of Agriculture from the US are also hosting country pavilions.

Exclusive hospitality programme
In cooperation with the Orient Explorer Group – a travel agency with specific expertise in the Asian region – the VIV organisers provide a support system for travel bookings, accommodation and visa arrangements. This aim being to ensure a stress free stay for the VIV China guests.

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« Reply #33 on: July 13, 2010, 11:16:08 AM »

Wens Starts a Trial on Changing Sow Feeding Method
CHINA - Huanan Poultry Equipment Co.,Ltd., a daughter company of Wens Food Group, started a close cooperation with Nedap by introducing Velos ESF into a farm of Wens Group in Shiba. Seventeen feed stations started operating in March 2010.

There were 3,200 sows in the farm by the end of 2009. Wens decided to expand the farm size by introducing 800 gilts into a new production line which would be used as a trial farm for feeding sows in group-housing condition with Nedap Velos ESF. Currently, there are over 60 farms with similar number of sows in Wens Group.


The Shiba farm is equipped with 17 feed stations and four heat detection units. Sows inseminated at same week are kept together in a static group during gestation. Four feed stations are installed together with heat detectors, one feed station is used as a separate training station, and each feed station would take care of 40 sows in a same pen. Sows are kept in one of the four pens with feed stations and heat detectors from three to four days after insemination until four weeks of pregnancy. After four weeks of insemination, sows would be kept in pens with feed stations only for the rest 12 weeks of gestation and then moved to farrowing house. In August 2010, the first batch of sows will be farrowing.


Wens Food Group takes this trial project very seriously, because the shift of sow feeding method from individual crates to group-housing with ESF is influential to production level of Wens. Huanan Poultry Equipment Co.,Ltd. will ensure the success of this shift with its strong technical force.

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« Reply #34 on: August 10, 2010, 12:24:46 PM »

Prices of Pork Stoking Inflation Fears
CHINA - Pork prices are on the rise again, putting pressure on inflation, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday, 7 August.



Prices of pork, which accounts for around 3 percent of China's Consumer Price Index (CPI), grew by 0.1 per cent Saturday compared to a day earlier and by around 17 per cent compared to June. The increase in food prices, which accounts for about a third of the index, has been blamed on bad weather.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's CPI rose 2.9 per cent compared to the same time last year. The index rose a year-on-year 3.1 per cent in May, 2.8 per cent in April and 2.4 per cent in March.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, predicted that the CPI would maintain 3 per cent for the rest of the year and would drop in October.

NBS said China's producer price index (PPI), measuring industrial products prices, increased 6.4 per cent in June and 6 per cent in the first half.

"PPI hit a record high in the second quarter and started declining. The CPI will peak in the third quarter," said Li Huiyong, chief macro-economy analyst with Shanghai-based Shenyin Wanguo Securities.

In November 2008, a 4 trillion yuan ($590.93 billion) stimulus package was introduced in order to boost China's economy, which also spurred huge credit expansion.

According to the People's Bank of China (PBC), the country's central bank, China's foreign reserves jumped to $2.4 trillion last year, further increasing the country's inflation pressures. In addition, China has increased wheat reserves this year, a move to secure the country's food and is viewed as increasing inflation pressures by surging wheat demand.

China's gross domestic product grew by 11.9 per cent in the first quarter this year, and by 11.1 per cent for the first half of the year, according to the NBS. Meanwhile, the country's purchasing managers' index fell to 51.2 from 52.1 in June, which indicated economic slowdown.

"Slowing growth and rising inflation is a policy puzzle for the government," Bloomberg quoted Tom Orlik, an economist for Stone &McCarthy Research Associates. "I believe China will be more concerned with growth, especially given the uncertain state of affairs in the global economy."

"We will try to make monetary policy more flexible and maintain a balance between the objective of rapid economic growth and controlling inflation," the PBC said Thursday.

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« Reply #35 on: August 10, 2010, 12:29:29 PM »

No Sign of A/H1N1 Virus in HK Pigs from May-July
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety (CFS) Friday (6 August) announced that no A/H1N1 influenza viruses nor any reassortant of viruses were detected in samples from pigs taken during May to July.



The results reported were under a regular influenza virus surveillance programme conducted by the University of Hong Kong at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse.

A spokesman for the CFS said that the CFS would continue to monitor reports of the program and make announcements on a regular basis.

"Results will be announced immediately if there are significant public health impacts such as gene re-assortment of viruses," he said, adding that given the wide transmission of the pandemic H1N1 virus in humans, detection of the virus in pigs would not be a surprise.

It was expected that positive findings may appear from time to time in the future, he said.

The CFS has been liaising closely with the Mainland authorities on any abnormal situation in the Mainland farms supplying live pigs to Hong Kong and farm inspection would be stepped up when necessary.

Under the surveillance programme, the CFS has been helping the HKU researchers by collecting blood, tracheal and nasal swabs from pigs at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse twice a month.

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« Reply #36 on: September 01, 2010, 10:07:41 AM »

China Opens Doors to More Danish Crown Imports
DENMARK - A new agreement between Denmark and China opens up for exports of processed foods such as sausages and tinned products from Danish Crown.



This represents an opening for increasing sales to one of the group’s most important markets, explained Asger Krogsgaard, a member of the Board of Directors of Danish Crown and Chairman of the Company Board of the Danish Agriculture and Food Council.

Together with HRH Prince Henrik and the Danish Minister for Food, Henrik Høegh, and others, he has spearheaded a Danish export drive which is just now drawing to a close in Shanghai.

"It is an important agreement and a key step towards strengthening our trading relations with China. With the new agreement, we can look forward to selling processed products alongside our very considerable exports of by-products," said Asger Krogsgaard.

At present, Danish Crown sells mainly by-products such as ears, toes and intestines to China. Volumes have been increasing, and China has in recent years become our fourth-largest market, measured in terms of weight. At the same time, a new class of wealthy consumers is emerging in China and creating a demand for food of a quality found in the West.

"Thanks to our high food safety standards, we have already been present in the market for a number of years, and this will be our springboard for future sales of high-quality products. The consumers are there, and they are calling for quality Western-style foods combined with high food safety," Mr Krogsgaard said.

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« Reply #37 on: September 09, 2010, 10:10:37 AM »

A/H1N1 Flu Breaks Out in Swine; Issue Resolved
TAIWAN - The Taiwanese veterinary authorities have reportted an outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza in the country, affecting swine herds.



The World Organisation for Animal Health received an immediate notification yesterday, 7 September. According to the report, the outbreak occured on 2 September in T'ai-Tung.

A total of four cases were identified, while 4000 of the animals showed signs of susceptibility to the disease.

The farmer reported pigs with signs of parakeratosis to the prefecture animal disease control competent authority, a zinc deficiency was suspected. Samples were collected and sent to the Animal Health Research Institute for diagnosis. Samples were also subjected to swine influenza virus test including pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus test under the routine active and passive surveillance programme. Positive results in virus isolation, RRT-PCR and gene sequencing were obtained on 2 September 2010, which demonstrated that pigs were infected by the pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus.

Movement control was implemented and disinfection and cleaning of the index farm have been conducted and completed. Follow-up tests were conducted and negative results in RRT-PCR and virus isolation were obtained on 6 September 2010.

Six pig farms within 3km radius around the index farm have been investigated and monitored. No clinical evidence of infection was found.

Although the issue has been resolved, the cause of the outbreak remains unidentified.



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« Reply #38 on: September 10, 2010, 11:45:52 AM »

SFI holds groundbreaking ceremony for IPF in Jilin
[10 September 2010] SATS Ltd’s subsidiary, Singapore Food Industries Pte Ltd and its JV partners held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday morning for the first breeder farm of the integrated pig farm project (IPF) in Yongji County, Jilin Province, China. A more than 100,000 square metres site at Yangmu Gou in Yongji County has been selected for the first pig breeder farm which is part of phase one of the IPF development involving the start-up of breeder and model finisher farms for 100,000 pigs annually and a slaughterhouse. First mooted by the Jilin City Government, the IPF will consist of an integrated end-to-end supply chain, from feed mill and breeding to slaughtering and processing. To be developed over approximately six years with an eventual production of 1 million pigs annually, the IPF aims to be recognised as the first FMD-free zone in China.
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« Reply #39 on: September 22, 2010, 10:18:39 AM »

Forecast for Chinese Pork Prices to Increase Again
CHINA - Pork prices in August were steady, following a rapid rise in June and July but further rises are forecast in the coming months.



In August, China's pork market was steady, with no noticeable increases in price, according to an analysis by Frbiz.com, one of China's B2B search platforms. This steadiness was mainly due to the consumer atmosphere in the second quarter being influenced by fast rising prices in June and July, which were caused by pig diseases and China's southern floods decreasing pork supply.

The first week of this month, China's pork prices were at a record high. The national pork average wholesale price reached RMB17.21 per kilo – a year-on-year increase of almost eight per cent. Breeding stock numbers fell in July by 3.7 per cent year-on-year. In July, breeding stock was 44 million head, down 2.2 per cent year on year.

In September, after the beginning of autumn, the weather gets colder, which is the pork sales season. The Mid-Autumn festival and National Day holiday stimulate pork demand, and therefore the market demand of pork will increase. Plus, feed and raw materials like corn, wheat and so on will also maintain high operations and also stimulate a rise in pork prices. Therefore, in late September and October, pork prices may start a new rising price trend.

This year's high point will be close to the 2009 high level. As pork prices continue to rise, farmers begin to reduce the market availability rate of the livestock, therefore, the supply in such a tight situation may continue into the late fourth quarter. China's demand may exceed supply at the height of the pork season. According to the situation in August, the average wholesale price of pork was RMB17.00 per kilo, and the first week of this month, the price even reached RMB17.21. According to the current situation, Frbiz forecasts that this year's whoelsale pork price could reach RMB19 but will not exceed the RMB23 level seen in 2008.

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« Reply #40 on: November 03, 2010, 10:45:36 AM »

PCV2: Genetic Variation and Newly Emerging Genotypes in China
Researchers at Harbin PCV2 have discovered that porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) found in China is constantly undergoing genetic variation. Furthermore, both the predominant strain and the Cap protein (the main structural protein of PCV2) have changed over recent years.


Chang M. Liu and colleagues at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have published a paper on genetic variation and newly emerging genotypes of PCV2 in China in Virology Journal.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), the causative agent of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), is a serious economic problem for the swine industry in China, they explain. In this study, they investigated the genetic variation of PCV2 in China using strains isolated from 2004-2008. Viruses were isolated from samples collected from pigs with multi-systemic lesions and clinical signs of PMWS from different regions of China, and the genomes of these viruses were sequenced. The assembled sequences were used to define the genotypes of these strains; PCR-RFLP methodology was used to distinguish isolates and capture ELISA was used to demonstrate the antigenic changes resulted from ORF2 gene mutation of the isolates.

Results
The researchers identified 19 PCV2 isolates, including four newly emerging PCV2 mutant strains. The 19 isolates were designated into three genotypes (PCV2a, PCV2b and PCV2d). PCV2d represented a novel genotype and a shift from PCV2a to PCV2b as the predominant genotype in China was identified.

This is the first report of 1766 nt PCV2 harbouring a base deletion at other new different positions.

Amino acid sequence analysis identified two novel ORF2 mutations (resulting in ORF2 sequences 705 and 708nt in length) in three deletion strains (1766 nt) and one strain with a genome 1767 nt in length.

This is the first finding of two amino acids elongation of the ORF2-encoded Cap protein in PCV2 strains anywhere in the world. The isolates were distinguished into different genotypes by PCR-RFLP methodology and antigenic changes were present in Cap protein of mutation isolates by capture ELISA.

Conclusions
The Harbin scientists say their study provides evidence that PCV2 is undergoing constant genetic variation and that the predominant strain in China as well as the antigenic situation has changed in recent years. Furthermore, the PCR-RFLP method presented here may be useful for the differential identification of PCV2 strains in future studies.

Reference
Long J. Guo, Yue H. Lu, Yan W. Wei, Li P. Huang and Chang M. Liu. 2010. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2): genetic variation and newly emerging genotypes in China. Virology Journal, 7:273. doi:10.1186/1743-422X-7-273

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« Reply #41 on: November 05, 2010, 08:37:59 AM »

Hunan Dakang launches IPO
[5 November 2010] Dakang Animal Husbandry Co Ltd, a major pig producer in China’s southern province of Hunan, has initiated an IPO. The company expected to issue some 26 million shares, which will account for less than 25% of the company’s total share capital. The fund will be used to build an integrated pork production project that consists of compartment farming units for 300,000 pigs per year and a slaughterhouse with an annual capacity of 400,000 pigs. The company produced 163,000 slaughter pigs in 2009 and registered a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 66% for revenue and a CAGR of 61% for net profit during 2007-2009. Dakang showed greater performance this year with the first-half revenue increasing by 53% year-on-year to CNY 197 million (USD 29.6 million).
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« Reply #42 on: November 06, 2010, 09:35:26 AM »

PCV Vaccine Developed in Henan
CHINA - A vaccine against porcine circovirus (PCV) has been successfully developed in Henan Province.



The vaccine has been granted the National Registration Certificate for New Veterinary Drug and the production approval document number as well as the approval to be marketed as a national-level new veterinary drug of the second category from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), according to an official source.

This is the first major result of the Project of R&D on New Diagnostic Technology and New Vaccines for Major Swine Diseases, a key specialized project on science and technology of the Province during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan period implemented by Luoyang Pu-Like Bio-Engineering Company Limited.

According to the introduction, this PCV vaccine independently developed by China could create direct economic benefits of over one billion yuan and reduce the loss from the disease by over 36 billion yuan during the four years' protection period, and help the swine industry save vaccination expenses of three billion yuan each year.

PCVD is globally recognized as a major disease that jeopardizes the swine industry, and also one of the three major diseases that do harm to China's swine industry.

Yang Hanchun, Director and Chief Scientist of the national research office for disease control in the modern swine industry and Professor of China Agricultural University said: "PCVD is one of the major diseases that affect China’s swine industry; and effective vaccination is crucial to control the spread of PCV."

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« Reply #43 on: November 10, 2010, 08:58:19 AM »

Further Concentration of Farms in Five-Year Plan
CHINA - The proportion of standardised large-scale animal production is set to increase by 10 to 15 percentage points during the 12th Five-Year Plan period.



At the National Meeting on Establishment of Standardized Demonstration Farms for Livestock and Poultry Production held in Yichang, Hubei Province last week, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) stated that by 2015, the proportion of large-scale production of major animals would be raised by 10 to 15 percentage points and the number of standardised farms would account for 50 per cent of the total of large-scale farms; productivity of those standardized large-scale farms would be improved; the animal waste would be treated to reach the standards for discharge or utilized as a resource; and the quality and safety of animal products would be substantially upgraded.

To carry out the nationwide activity on establishment of standardised demonstration farms for livestock and poultry production launched by MOA early this year, the state has invested three billion yuan to support establishment and transformation of standardised pig and dairy cattle farms/farming areas and it has also allocated 500 million yuan of specialised funds to help the farms/farmers that apply standardised farming practices by offering rewards instead of subsidies.

All the local authorities have been working hard to develop this programme into an image or a brand through well-organised implementation, increased financial input, enhanced technical guidance and advocacy for active participation of farms/farmers, ushering in a new climax for development of standardised large-scale animal production. So far, MOA has release the first list of 1276 standardised demonstration farms and granted them the plates for such an honour.

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« Reply #44 on: November 17, 2010, 09:12:37 AM »

China Sells Stockpiled Pork, Sugar to Cut Prices
CHINA - China's government is trying to cool double-digit food price rises by releasing stockpiled pork and sugar to boost supplies in markets, the Commerce Ministry said Tuesday.



The move comes after food prices jumped 10.1 per cent in October over a year earlier due to shortages of some goods, reports The Star. Overall inflation rose to a 25-month high of 4.4 per cent, prompting concern Beijing might tighten economic controls and further slow China's growth.

The government is releasing stored frozen pork and sugar into the market to help "stabilize prices," said Commerce Ministry spokesman Yao Jian at a regular briefing.

Inflation is especially sensitive in a society where poor families spend up to half their incomes on food. Rising incomes have helped to offset price hikes, but inflation erodes the value of savings and undercuts economic gains that help support the ruling Communist Party's claim to power.

Mr Yao said the government also is taking steps to increase vegetable production, though he gave no details of that or the pork sales. Pork is China's staple meat and prices are closely watched to ensure poor families can afford it.

The jump in food costs came as Beijing is trying to steer China's rapid growth to a more manageable level and restore normal economic conditions following its stimulus-fueled rebound from the global crisis.

Inflation so far is confined to food but analysts have warned that stimulus money and a flood of bank lending coursing through the economy might add to pressure for prices to rise in other sectors.

Some analysts say food price inflation has passed its peak and should decline but Chinese media say the cost of some basic goods is still rising strongly.

The price of sugar rose 1 per cent in the first week of November over a week earlier, meat and eggs by 0.8 per cent and cooking oil by 0.5 per cent, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

A government spokesman said last week Beijing "needs to do more" to keep inflation under its 3 per cent target for the year.

The government maintains stockpiles of grain, frozen pork and some other staples in case of shortages. It released stockpiled pork in 2008 after shortages caused China's last spike in inflation.

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