China Announces Consumer Price Inflation At 8.5pct With Food Prices Rising 22.1pct

Beijing, China (AHN) - China's consumer price inflation was at a nearly 12-year high at 8.5 percent in April, the National Bureau of Statistics announced Monday morning.

Food prices rose 22.1 percent in April, which worries Chinese government officials. The price of pork led the increases with food costs accounting for one-third of China's CPI.

"Greater prominence needs to be given to curbing inflation and controlling price rises," China's National Bureau of Statistics was quoted as saying by BBC news.

While food prices rose 22.1 percent overall, the price of meat and poultry increased by a whopping 47.9 percent last month while vegetable prices increased by 13.6 percent in April from a year ago and grain prices rose 7.4 percent, according to Shanghai Daily news.

The government is trying to control inflation and might increase interest rates to do so, officials said earlier this month.