Dim Sums: Agricultural Markets in China

Livestock should have the same status as grain in China's food security efforts, according to an Economic Daily article published last week. The article--which cited difficulties maintaining meat supplies, "social resistance" to high prices, and great pressure from imported meat--was reposted on numerous state-controlled news media sites, indicating it was a message from the propaganda gnomes. The Economic Daily article observed that beef and mutton supplies have not kept up with growing demand. The article cited a  5-year action program for developing beef and mutton production issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) as an important new effort to ensure meat supplies and tamp down meat price fluctuations. The MARA "action program" document blames a poor industry base, long production cycle, and outdated production methods for failing to keep up with growing consumer demand for beef and mutton.  An assessment by the Chinese Academy of ...

The Chinese press has started taking note of soaring mutton prices, up about 30 percent from last year and now the most expensive type of meat in China. Mutton is being affected by broadly rising costs like other foods, but expensive sheep meat is also linked to a new policy to conserve grassland initiated last year. Sheep meat is traditionally a staple food of poor nomadic minorities in Inner Mongolia and other grassland areas. In recent years it has become popular as the main component of hot pot restaurants, kebabs served by street stalls and restaurants serving ethnic Muslim and Mongolian cuisine. National Bureau of Statistics data on average food prices show that mutton is now the most expensive meat, costing over 50 yuan per kg, equal to about $3.50 per lb. (see chart below). Source: dimsums chart using China National Bureau of Statistics average urban food price data. The NBS data show mutton costing double the price of pork in May. But an article from Tianjin ...