China's Pork Prices Hit 16-Year Low as Glut and Weak Spending Squeeze Farmers

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 28

Last month’s 16-year low in Chinese pork prices pushed many small hog farms toward collapse, with some farmers saying they can barely afford feed.
Beijing had boosted hog production after swine fever drove prices sharply higher, but that expansion left a glut just as households turned cautious and spent less.
The slump has become a broader economic warning sign because pork is treated in China as a bellwether for inflation and consumer demand.
Property weakness is deepening the hit: the long housing downturn has curbed restaurant spending, while slower construction has also cut demand for a staple food on building sites.

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