Shenzhen government will increase its reserves of pork to
4,000-5,000 tons amid soaring prices for the staple meat,
yesterday's Daily Sunshine reported.
The amount will be equivalent to a week's supply of pork for
Shenzhen residents, the report said. At present, the amount of
fresh and frozen pork in the city totals 3,000 tons, enough for
only three days' consumption. The Commerce Ministry recently
decided to ship 2,000 tons of frozen pork to Shenzhen, making it
possible for the city government to increase the amount of pork
available in the city's shops and markets.
To increase pork supplies, the municipal government has unveiled
a set of measures, including paying subsidies to large pig farms in
Shenzhen and those pig farms established outside the city by
Shenzhen enterprises. Each breeding sow on these farms will get a
50-yuan (US$6.41) subsidy.
Each of the 56 pig farms outside Shenzhen which have signed
agreements with the municipal bureau of agriculture, forestry and
fishery to supply live pigs to the city will get a subsidy of 20
yuan for each live pig sold in Shenzhen. Compulsory immunization of
each live pig will be carried out to prevent the spread of the
deadly blue ear disease.
Up to 90 percent of the pork sold in Shenzhen is supplied by pig
farms outside Shenzhen, especially other areas of Guangdong and
other regions including Hunan, Jiangxi and Guangxi. Authorities in
Shenzhen have also had to look as far away as northeastern
China.
(Shenzhen Daily August 9, 2007)