High China pork prices prompt farm murders

BEIJING, Aug 8 (Reuters) A husband and wife team of pig farmers have been stabbed to death by a would-be thief, the first casualties of a sharp rise in Chinese pork price, the Beijing News reported today.

The couple, who worked at night at a farm of 1,000 pigs in Beijing, were killed early yesterday, a villager was quoted as saying. Their son was injured in the attack, the newspaper added.

Chinese pork price have soared to their highest in a decade, after widespread disease and a slump in prices last year discouraged farmers from raising piglets.

The high prices have stopped many Chinese from eating pork, a staple across much of the country.

The newspaper did not say if any pigs were stolen or what had happened to the killer.

REUTERS SG DS1142