BEIJING-- The average price of pork in Chinese shops has dropped 11 percent from its peak in August as the government invests billions of yuan to support the pig breeding industry.
The retail price in 36 large and medium-sized cities fell to 12.41 yuan (US$1.7) per 500 grams on Thursday, from the peak level of 13.95 yuan on August 9, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
Pork prices almost doubled this year due to short supply and mounting feedstuff costs, driving up the consumer price index to an 11-year-high of 6.5 percent in August.
The central and local governments will earmark a total 14.6 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) this year to encourage farmers to raise pigs and boost pork supplies, Deputy Finance Minister Zhang Shaochun told a meeting in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.
Zhang noted that 10.8 billion yuan, or 74 percent of the funds, comes from the central government.
The funds will subsidize insurance and breeding programs, immunization of animal diseases, including the highly pathogenic blue-ear disease, construction of farms, and a living allowance for low-income earners, he said.
《中国日报》北京讯：中国市场上猪肉的平均价格已经比八月份的最高值降低了十一个百分点。这得益于国家对生猪养殖业数十亿元的投资支持。
国家发改委称：本周四，在中国36个大中城市猪肉的零售价均降至每斤12.41元(相当于1.7美元)。而八月九日猪肉的价格是13.95元，为历史最高。
由于近期猪肉供应短缺以及饲料价格的持续攀高，猪肉价格接近翻番，促使今年八月的消费价格指数增至11年来最高达到6.5。
财政部副部长张少春在湖北省武汉市召开的一次会议上说，中央和地方各级政府将拨款146亿元鼓励农民饲养生猪促进猪肉供应。
张少春提到，所拨款项中的74%即108亿元来自中央预算。
该款项将被用来补贴生猪养殖保险金的支付、生猪饲养、动物疾病防控（包括高致病性猪蓝耳病）、养殖场建设和低收入农户的生活所需费用，张少春说。
