The supply of pork and other meat from Sichuan Province to the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SAR) remains stable, despite earthquake damage sustained by pork producers, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

Since eight of Sichuan's 18 major pork suppliers had severe damage as a result of the earthquake, "the government has asked other pork producers in Guangdong, Henan and Anhui to take over to ensure sufficient supply in the Hong Kong and Macao markets," said Chen Deming, minister of the MOC.

"The Chinese mainland at present supplies 4,000 tonnes of live pigs to Hong Kong and Macao every day," said Chen.

Sichuan produces 9.5 percent, 8 percent and 6 percent of the country's pork, edible oil and grain, respectively, which helped it become China's "grain and pork baskets," said Chen.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2008)