Weekly pork prices lower in China

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Pork prices in China edged down last week, official data shows.

From March 7 to 11, the average pork price tracked by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was 15.96 yuan (about 2.52 U.S. dollars) per kg, down 1.2 percent week on week.

This figure also represented a year-on-year drop of 54.1 percent.

The National Development and Reform Commission announced last month that pork would be stockpiled to replenish state reserves, as the national average of pork prices against grain prices had dropped below a warning level.

The stockpiling work has begun in provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Jiangxi, Hubei and Chongqing. Other areas will start the work soon, according to the commission.