Pork is a staple for families across China as they prepare for the Lunar New Year, the most important celebration on the calendar. An ingredient synonymous with prosperity and abundance, it is used in countless dishes and salted as a festive delicacy.
But at Beijing’s Xinmin Market, vendor Wu Aizhen is struggling. Pork prices are down about a fifth from a year ago, but her sales are a third lower than during a typical holiday season.