In recent news from CCTV, pork has emerged as a key product affecting household food prices and overall inflation. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, since September, pork prices across the country have been on a steady decline. To understand the reasons behind this trend, a reporter visited a wholesale market in Beijing.
Liu Yinghui, a pork vendor at Beijing’s Xinfadi market, shared insights on the current pricing. He noted that pork prices peaked in mid-August of this year but have been gradually decreasing since then.
Data indicates that in September, the average wholesale price for live pigs at the Xinfadi market was 23.3 yuan per kilogram. This reflects an 18.09% increase compared to the same time last year, yet a 5.21% drop from August. The main contributors to this shift include a heightened willingness among hog farms to market their livestock. Additionally, pigs that had been diverted to secondary fattening are now being sold, resulting in a noticeable increase in pork supply. In fact, the volume of live pigs available in September increased by 13% compared to August. As a result, the upward pressure on pork prices eased, and we are seeing a stabilization of meat prices entering October.
Industry experts point out that the national inventory of breeding sows is currently below last year’s levels, which falls within a reasonable range for production capacity.
Turning to another essential item in the grocery basket, eggs, recent data shows a 6.17% month-over-month price increase in September.
At the same Xinfadi market, egg vendor Gan Xianfeng was busy organizing his stock. He explained that at the start of the week, as the Golden Week holiday approached, schools and institutional cafeterias ramped up their orders, boosting demand and consequently driving up egg prices. Once the stockpiling for these meals was complete, however, the supply of eggs remained abundant, leading to a price drop.
Gan highlighted how fluctuations in demand have recently influenced egg prices. September’s consumption was bolstered by back-to-school activities, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day, which maximized demand and pushed egg prices to their peak for the year.
Looking forward, due to favorable weather, the production efficiency of laying hens has improved, resulting in an increase in egg output. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in September, the nationwide wholesale price for eggs reached 10.84 yuan per kilogram, showing a 6.17% increase from the previous month but a 6.47% decrease compared to the same period last year.
