Vice Premier urges support for spring farming

WUHAN, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Monday urged local governments to support spring ploughing so as to guarantee a good harvest for this year's grain production.

Speaking at a national conference on spring farming held by the State Council (Cabinet) in Xiangfan City of central China's Hubei Province, Hui called for greater efforts to guarantee a good harvest for summer grain and oil crops as cold weather, rain, snow and drought had added pressure on this year's summer grain yield.

Following six consecutive years of increases in China's grain output and rural incomes, Hui called on local authorities and government bodies to strengthen pest and animal disease controls, expand the acreage of planting, promote agricultural technology services, standardize the production of "vegetable basket" produce (non-staple food) and ensure the supply of seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and diesel.

Hui called for greater efforts to plant more trees, guard against forest fires, speed up the construction of rural infrastructure and provide more jobs for migrant workers.

China's grain output reached 530.8 million tonnes in 2009, exceeding 500 million tonnes for the third consecutive year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.