Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited a Beijing market yesterday to inspect
grain supply amid the recent price hike.
Figures with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that China's grain
prices increased by 4.7 percent year on year in November, one percentage point
higher than the rise in October.
The hike indicates a normal recovery of farm produce prices after the decline
in recent years, which means good news to farmers, Wen told a group of residents
representatives from the Sanyili residential area in Xuanwu District after
visiting a local supermarket named Huaqiang.
The prices, however, must maintain a reasonable level, and grain supply must
be ensured, Wen said.
He stressed that consumers' interests must be protected while tighter
measures must be taken to prevent speculators' from forestalling goods and
jacking up prices.
The premier also called for special care for families with subsistence
difficulties.
"It's the duty of governments and officials at all levels to help people with
living strain," Wen said, urging officials to visit such families and help solve
their problems.
The premier assured the residents of the grain supply, citing an expected
grain output of at least 490 billion kilograms this year.
The country has seen good harvests for three consecutive years due to
government policies which boost agriculture, Wen said.
China's grain output was 484 billion kilograms last year.
Wen also visited some low-income families.