BEIJING, July 1 -- Pork prices in China edged up 0.7 percent month on month in May, official data showed.

The average pork price index in 16 provincial-level regions tracked by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs stood at 18.38 yuan (about 2.54 U.S. dollars) per kg in May, according to the ministry.

The figure dropped 11.7 percent compared with the same period last year, the data revealed.

South China's Guangdong reported the highest average pork price at 19.36 yuan per kg in May, followed by east China's Fujian and Zhejiang.