'No One Will Eat Pork If Price Rise Is Passed On'

Dwindling supplies from the mainland and the government's strict quarantine measures are pushing the pork trade in the city into crisis, with warnings that if wholesalers pass on the entire price increases to Hong Kong consumers, "no one will eat pork".

Traders said on Thursday that the government's quarantine measures against African swine fever are overly stringent and forcing many people out of work. They warned that if the current supply crunch does not improve soon, the only private slaughterhouse in the city may have to close down.

Pork traders said because of the mainland supply interruption after the virus was discovered in the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse two months ago, the number of live pigs exported to Hong Kong has gone down by more than half. As a result, wholesale prices have surged more than double.

Hui Wai-kin of the Pork Traders General Association said prices have hit uncharted territory of more than HK$4,000 per 100 catties – up from just HK$1,500 before May. He said if wholesalers pass on the entire price increase to consumers, "no one will eat pork".

Hui blamed the government's quarantine measures for the supply shortage from the mainland.

He said authorities are imposing excessively stringent measures even though African swine fever does not affect humans.

The traders said the government should standardise quarantine requirements with its mainland counterparts, and learn from Macau which does not require mainland live pigs to be quarantined once they are approved by authorities across the border.

During a news conference, representatives of traders, wholesalers and truck drivers said their jobs are now at risk because of the supply problems.

They said they had also learned that the Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse is planning to sack all pig truck drivers by the end of this month as the supply crunch is making its operation impossible.