BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The A/H1N1 flu that has
claimed 64 lives in Mexico will not significantly shake global trade at this
stage, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Yao Jian told a press
conference here on Friday.
However, trading of pork products and mobility of
laborers may be affected, as the flu was originally discovered among pigs and
people may catch the disease through contact with patients.
In China, statistics released by the National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) showed pork prices in major Chinese
cities averaged 10.13 yuan per kg (1.5 U.S. dollars) at the end of April, down
10.4 percent from the same period last year and 25 percent since the year's
beginning.
The price drop was mainly attributed to over supply
on domestic market, according to the NDRC.
The outbreak of A/H1N1 may have also helped drag the
price down.
According to Yao, the country will adjust current
policy concerning pork imports in accordance with situation changes.
At present, China has taken restrictive measures on
pig and pork imports from the flu-affected regions in the United States, Canada
and Mexico, while keeping a green light on import of cooked pork products.
Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu
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Pig producers struggling amid price
diving
TAIYUAN, May 15 (Xinhua) -- For the second time in three years, China's pig
farmers are struggling to make ends meet.
The country has an overabundance of pigs. Combine that with fear over the
A/H1N1 flu, formerly commonly referred to as "swine flu," and farmers find
themselves unable to make a profit when they go to market. Full story
WHO, FAO, OIE reiterate safety of pork
amid concerns of A/H1N1 flu infection
GENEVA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and two other
international organizations reiterated the safety of consuming pork and pork
products on Thursday amid concerns that the fatal A/H1N1 flu virus found in pigs
may infect people.
"Influenza viruses are not known to be transmissible to people through
eating processed pork or other food products derived from pigs," the WHO, the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE) said in a joint statement. Full story
