BEIJING — China on April 2 released another 20,000 metric tons of pork from its central reserves to increase market supply, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

More frozen pork reserves will be put onto the market in the future in due course to better cater for the demand, the ministry said.

Official data has shown that prices of the staple meat in China continued to retreat as the government has been taking multi-pronged measures to boost supply, including increasing subsidies to restore hog production, releasing frozen pork reserves and expanding imports.

From March 23 to 27, the average pork price index in 16 provincial-level regions came in at 45.86 yuan (about $6.5) per kg, down 3.5 percent week-on-week.