Pork prices in China lower last week

BEIJING -- Pork prices in China registered a week-on-week decline in the week from March 27 to 31, official data shows.

During this period, the average pork price tracked by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs stood at 18.88 yuan (about $2.75) per kg, down 2.2 percent compared with the previous week.

The price was 14.3 percent higher year on year, but the increase fell by 5 percentage points from a week earlier, the data reveals.

Pork supply increased during the last week of March, as some large-scale breeding farms accelerated pig slaughter to complete monthly tasks, while hog farmers' reluctance to sell declined, according to the ministry.