国内英语新闻:Chinese vice premier stresses efforts to guarantee grain supply

JINAN, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has called on authorities to give more support to the country's major grain production areas so to ensure grain supply and security.

Hui made the comments while attending a grain production seminar held in Yantai City of east China's Shandong Province on Friday and Saturday.

The vice premier demanded efforts be undertaken to promote agricultural production in the country's major grain production areas, which he said were of great importance to China's agricultural development.

Hui urged authorities to offer financial assistance to these areas and ensure the continuous increase of farmers' incomes.

China was facing and would be confronted by increasing challenges in grain production, such as the challenge to meet market demand for agricultural products and ensure quality, Hui said.

To address these challenges, he said China must improve support to farmers to increase their enthusiasm for growing grain.

Efforts should also go to improving production capacity in the agriculture sector, promoting agricultural technology progress and accelerating agricultural reform, the vice premier said.

During the rest of the year, relative authorities should focus on improving agricultural production management and disaster prevention to guarantee a bumper autumn grain harvest, as well as ensuring market supplies and price stabilization of commodities such as vegetable, meat, grain and edible oil, he said.