Earlier in October, Hue had asked the ministry to design scenarios and measures to stabilize prices of pork, especially during national public holidays, including the Lunar New Year.

Pork prices began rising since June this year and surged by 60-80% in October compared with the previous month, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The meat price increased by VND 15,000-20,000 to VND 160,000-180,000 per kilogram this weak, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

The price surge was attributed to the African swine fever which entered Viet Nam in early 2019 and expanded across the country, leading to the massive culling of pigs in an effort to halt the spread of the swine fever.

The total meat output is estimated to reach 5.14 million tons in 2019, down by 4.1%, in which pork accounts for around 70%. Especially, pork demand may reach as many as 600,000 tons during the Lunar New Year festival.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said pork output decreased by 10% this year, or 380,000 tons compared to 2018./.