Consumer prices in China rose at the fastest pace in 15 months in May as pork prices jumped further after farmers were forced to cull hogs amid a countrywide outbreak of African swine fever.
Consumer prices rose 2.7 per cent year on year in May, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, quickening from the 2.5 per cent increase in the previous month. The rise was in line with estimates from economists polled by Reuters.
Pork prices, a major component of the index, rose 18.2 per cent with food prices rising 7.7 per cent. More than 1m pigs have been culled since the first case of the swine fever was logged in August, the ministry of agriculture said, pushing up the cost of the popular meat.