The price of pork has dropped for a fifth consecutive week, as government measures begin to take effect.

Pork in 36 cities was priced at 25.56 yuan perkg last week, down 1.08 percent from the previous week, according to statistics from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The pork price in 23 cities dropped last week, while in other cities it stayed the same or increased slightly.

Figures from the agriculture ministry show that the number of live pigs in stock in August was up by 3.4 percent compared with the previous month, and the number of pigs ready for sale increased 9.9 percent year-on-year in a reversal of July's downward trend.