Since the start of August, thousands of pigs in China have died or been culled after authorities detected several instances of African swine fever. More than 38,000 pigs have been killed, according to Chinese state media.
CNN Money reports the disease, which isn't harmful to humans but is almost always fatal for pigs, could shake China's pork industry and further damage its already troubled economy.
The price of pork could go even higher if new instances of the virus continue to be reported in the country.
The sharp rise in pork prices could stoke inflation and prompt China's central bank to tighten monetary policy even as the economy is slowing down.
The trade war with the U.S. will also make it hard for China to supplement its own domestic pork supplies with imports, while a slump in the value of the Chinese yuan versus the dollar also isn't helping.
