Following recent grain price increases Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited a market in Beijing on Tuesday to inspect grain supplies.

Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that China's grain prices increased by 4.7 percent year on year in November. This is one percent higher than October's rise. .

The hike indicates the normal recovery of farm produce prices after a decline in recent years which is good news for farmers, Wen told a group of representatives from the Sanyili residential area in Xuanwu District after visiting a local supermarket named Huaqiang.

The prices, however, must maintain a reasonable level and grain supply must be ensured, Wen said. He stressed that consumers' interests should be protected while tighter measures taken to prevent speculators' from storing goods and jacking up prices.

The premier also called for special care for families with subsistence difficulties. "It's the duty of governments and officials at all levels to help people with living under strain," Wen said. He urged officials to visit such families and help solve their problems.

The premier assured the residents of their grain supply and cited an expected grain output of at least 490 billion kilograms this year. The country had seen good harvests for three consecutive years due to government policies which boost agriculture, Wen explained. China's grain output was 484 billion kilograms last year.

Wen also visited some low-income families.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2006)