Pork shortfall in China due to swine flu jacks global prices up

African swine flu has wiped out half of China’s pig herds, and in the run-up to Chinese New Year, its officials have embarked on a worldwide shopping spree for the country’s preferred meat.

That has pushed pork prices up across the world.

But the government is also trying to change consumer tastes in the country that consumes half of the world’s pork.

Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu reports from Beijing.