Chinese premier stresses importance of autumn harvest to food security, stable prices

BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Wednesday underlined the importance of harvesting and sowing work this autumn and winter to ensure food security and stable prices.

At an executive meeting of the State Council, Li also heard a report on energy supplies for the winter, and called for scaled up policy support for micro, small and medium-sized firms.

Efforts should be made to cope with the challenges to autumn harvesting and sowing work, brought by constant rainfalls in northern China as well as the high prices of agricultural materials, according to the meeting.

Major grain production areas should accelerate the grain harvest and ensure grain is dried and stored well, the meeting said.

The country should also guarantee the stable supply of agriculture materials, stabilize prices, and strengthen the supply and quality monitoring of seeds.

Temperatures in northern China are forecast to be lower than other years, with extreme weather highly possible, the meeting said.

The meeting called for guaranteed heating in northern China, particularly in the northeastern region, and urged smooth production and transportation of coals for heating.

The meeting underlined the importance of preventing cost-induced pressures resulting from the price hikes of raw materials from being passed on to downstream industries.

Inclusive benefit policies including tax and fee cuts will be studied to give support to micro, small and medium-sized firms, the meeting said.