BEIJING — Some nations have strategic oil reserves. Some keep grain reserves. China has both, and something others have somehow overlooked: a national pork reserve.

And with the price of pig meat up 38 percent in major cities since the start of the year, the government is about to open its floodgates.

China’s Commerce Ministry said Friday that it planned to release part of the central government’s 200,000-metric-ton stash of frozen pork onto the market, following earlier releases from pork reserves held by cities and at least 11 provinces trying to cap rising food prices.

So far, they have failed. Year-over-year inflation in China rose to 6.4 percent in June. The ministry says the price of pork in big cities soared by 17 percent last month alone, propelled by higher feed prices, rising wages and increased demand.