BEIJING, May 5 -- Farm produce prices in 36 major cities continued to fall last week due to abundant supply in most regions, official data showed on Tuesday.

From April 27 to May 3, the average price for 18 monitored vegetables fell 2.5 percent from a week earlier, with the prices of eggplant, lettuce and cabbage dropping 13.8 percent, 13.1 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said in a statement.

Price of rice went down 0.2 percent and prices of mutton and beef inched down 0.6 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, from the previous week, according to the MOC.

Food prices account for about one third of China's consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation. The CPI gained 1.4 percent in March from one year earlier, below the government target of 3 percent.

From April 20 to 26, the average price for 18 monitored vegetables edged down 2.3 percent from a week earlier, led by cucumber, lettuce and beans, said the MOC.