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)