The soaring prices of pork could stem from traders hogging supplies, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Prapat Pothasuthon.
Mr Prapat told reporters on Saturday the domestic prevalence of African swine fever (ASF) may be only partly to blame for the hike in pork prices. Some 350,000 piglets were raised in the country last year, he said. Today, a similar number of piglets is being farmed while the number of pigs slaughtered has not dropped. “It’s interesting to ask why the pork prices keep going up,” Mr Prapat said.
The answer could lie in pork supplies being hogged during the festive period from November to December last year, which drove up retail prices, he said.
Mr Prapat said the Agriculture Ministry was working with the Commerce Ministry to get to the bottom of the matter. As for the spread of ASF, the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) has set up local…
