Pork prices in China soared 46.7% year-on-year in August, as the country faced rising shortage of the meat amid a swine fever outbreak which has killed millions of hogs.

That was a far bigger increase than July's pork prices which jumped 27% from a year ago.

The surge in pork prices contributed to a 10% gain in food prices overall in August, according to data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday.

As much as half of China's hog population was estimated to have died from the protracted swine fever outbreak, which was discovered more than a year ago. China's pig herd could halve by the end of this year, according to a July forecast by analysts at Dutch bank Rabobank.

Prices of other meats in China also rose in August, contributing to the jump in food prices. Beef, mutton and chicken prices were all up — between 11.6% and 12.5%.