生猪价格创历史新高

 Less demand for pork after the festive¹ season of China's traditional Lunar New Year usually causes a price dip, but this year the market has seen an unexpected surge in hog² prices.

Statistics show that the hog price is nearly 20 yuan per kilogram, a 60 percent increase from the same period last year when the price was less than 10 yuan.

In March, pork prices increased each week by 10 percent.

Some experts predict the record could be set again in the upcoming weeks.

生猪价格创历史新高

Feng Yonghui is chief analyst³ of Soozhu net, a website providing consultative services for pig farmers in China.

"It took only a year for the price to increase rapidly. This has never happened throughout the history of the pig farming industry. Furthermore, the price could still increase and we may have a new record."

Profits of hog farmers have also moved to a new record.

The average profit from raising a hog has almost tripled from the same period last year.

Pig farmers are now frantic⁴ to stock up on piglets, hoping to invest further in this area.

Zhang Jun is a pig farmer in Fengyang, a small county in Anhui province.

He has been very busy recently due to the amount of buyers that are interested in his stock.

"I asked for 1,000 yuan for each piglet, but this customer only wants to give me 900. The lowest price is 1,000 yuan on the market. I can't accept a lower price. If he doesn't want it, he can go."

However, it wasn't always like this for pig farmers like Zhang.

Between 2013 and 2015, Zhang Jun lost hope in the pig farming industry.

Large numbers of sow pigs were killed and pig farms were empty due to the price plunges⁵.

Pig farmers lost 400 yuan on each pig they sold.

Many abandoned the business altogether.

Statistics show China had 50 million sow pigs in stock in 2013.

However, the number has dropped to just over 37 million by this January, according the recent figure by the Ministry⁶ of Agriculture.

The chief analyst Feng Yonghui explains that farmers' withdrawal⁷ from business in the past year, coupled with extreme weather have contributed to the undersupply of pork stocks.

"Diseases and cold weather at the end of 2015 killed a large number of piglets, further decreasing the supply amount. The production of piglets is quite low. That is why the price has jumped so high."

The ministry of Agriculture says the price recovery is good news for pig farmers, yet risks will also mount once pig stock upsurges.

Analysts⁸ also warn of price volatility⁹ and market risks behind the price hike.

But Feng stated that the price will not be high for long.

"The price would drop with over-supply of pig stocks within just one year. The price has hit record high this year, but it may take a nosedive the next year. This is the so called 'pig price cycle' in which we see a roller-coaster like price fluctuation¹⁰ which is more volatile¹¹ than that of the stock market."

The analyst predicts the price will go up in July, or August and then will drop for two or three months.

The drop rate could be over 15 percent.

For CRI this is Guo Yan.

1 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

2 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

5 plunges   

n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• Even before he plunges into his program, he has his audience in his pocket. 他的节目甚至还没有出场，就已控制住了观众。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Monseigneur, he precipitated himself over the hill-side, head first, as a person plunges into the river.' “大人，他头冲下跳下山坡去了，像往河里跳一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

10 fluctuation   

n.(物价的)波动，涨落；周期性变动；脉动

参考例句：

• The erratic fluctuation of market prices are in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。
• Early and adequate drainage is essential if fluctuation occurs.有波动感时，应及早地充分引流。

11 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。