Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua stressed that effective measures should be taken to stabilize and restore hog production and increase market supply, during his inspection in Southwest China's Sichuan province on Sept 2.

As a major province of hog production, Sichuan is also a pork-consuming region. The vice-premier paid a visit to local breeding bases and factories, and urged local governments to ensure self-sufficiency of the pork supply.

Hu said local authorities should implement special subsidies, enhance financial and insurance support, and remove bans and limits on hog production not stipulated by laws and regulations.

He also called for strict control and prevention of African swine fever, and more reserves of frozen pork to stabilize the market as needed.