Figures from China Customs show pork export was halved in first two months in comparison with that in the same period last year.

China exported 12,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen pork in January and February, down 55.2 percent from the same period last year. Export value declined 16.8 percent to 37.62 million U.S. dollars.

Pork export began to slow down in June last year and recovered in September, but it went down again from the beginning of this year, according to China Customs.

Pork price went up to 3,284 U.S. dollars per tonne in February, a record since January 2007.

Analysts say narrowing gap between domestic and international prices made companies more reluctant to export. Robust domestic sales during the Spring Festival in February, when Chinese people buy more food to prepare feasts during the traditional holiday, also diverted part of the pork supply.

Severe winter weather in southern China this year had disrupted transportation and caused delivery delay of many overseas orders, analysts say, adding that the freezing havoc had also hurt pig husbandry and tightened supply.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2008)