BEIJING — The price of live pigs in China edged down 1.3 percent in early March compared with the previous 10 days, official data showed on March 16.

Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some chemicals, 36 saw their prices decrease during the period, 11 posted higher prices and three saw their prices unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas went down 3.9 percent, while prices of liquefied natural gas declined 4.6 percent in the period, showed the data.

The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 1,700 wholesalers and distributors in 24 provincial-level regions.