Pork prices in several parts of China surged to a record high in March of this year. However, price tags in the past four consecutive years have always started to decline in March, considered the slack season for meat sales.

Because of cold fronts and heavy precipitation affecting the supply, the price of pork has continued growing without being affected by the usual drop in March.

The price of pork has entered a new round of growth since the end of last year and almost kept abreast with the highest price surge in 2011, when pork were sold for 19.6 yuan (US$3.02) per kilogram.

"The price of pork has continuously been kept at low levels, even with the rising price of pig fodder since late 2013, which has driven numerous pig raisers to give up their businesses," said Hu Dinghuan, researcher from the Agricultural Economy and Development Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

"From 2014 to 2015, the insufficient pork supply became the major factor to driving up the price of pork," Hu added.

Hu advised the government to be patient with the invisible hand of market, which, in his opinion, is capable of optimizing resources without the intervention of administrative force.

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