Chinese vice premier stresses autumn grain production for bumper harvest

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Tuesday called for solid autumn grain production efforts to achieve the country's annual agricultural harvest target.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a teleconference on agricultural work for the third quarter of the year.

Noting that the autumn grain output accounts for three quarters of the total annual grain output, Hu urged efforts to ensure the supply of chemical fertilizers and other agricultural materials, and work to strengthen farmland management.

The country will make all-out efforts in its disaster relief work to ensure its full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kilograms, Hu said.

He also highlighted the importance of efforts to keep hog production stable and the need to prevent outbreaks of African swine fever.