Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has called on agricultural departments across the country to take measures to help spring farming for a good summer harvest this year.

Hui made the remarks during his three-day tour of central China's Henan Province from Saturday to Tuesday.

The vice premier said it was a key period for spring sowing now and local agricultural departments should earnestly implement the state's preferential polices for farmers, such as subsidies for farmers who grow grain crops and purchase agricultural equipment, and stabilize the prices for grain and fertilizer.

In addition, local governments should made full preparations for possible floods in the coming summer to minimize impact on agriculture, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2006)