The Buzz | China food prices spike as anti-virus effort disrupts supply

China’s food prices jumped 21.4% over a year earlier in February as anti-virus efforts disrupted supplies, adding to pressure on communist leaders who are trying to revive economic activity.

Overall consumer prices rose 5.2% over a year ago, down from January’s eight-year high of 5.4% but well above the ruling Communist Party’s traditional annual target, government data showed yesterday.

Pork prices, which have more than doubled over the past year due to an outbreak of African swine fever that disrupted supplies, rose by 9.3% compared with January. The government reported no year-on-year price increase.

The price of fresh vegetables rose 9.5% over a year ago.

The government has yet to announce this year’s inflation target, but in previous years it has tried to keep consumer price increases below 3%.

Food prices spiked after panic buying in January sparked by the suspension of most access to Wuhan, the city at the center of the coronavirus outbreak. The government announced a crackdown on hoarding and price gouging.