BEIJING — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua has called for efforts to ensure agricultural production in the spring to lay a solid foundation for achieving a bumper harvest this year.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the comments during a teleconference held on April 16.

Efforts should be made to ensure that the spring plowing area will only expand, rather than shrinking, Hu said,

He underlined efforts to cope with uncertainties caused by natural disasters by enhancing meteorological forecasting and improving emergency response plans.

Support policies for hog production should continue to be implemented to consolidate the outcome of hog production recovery, Hu said.

He also urged efforts to ensure employment for people shaking off poverty, including multiple measures to increase jobs.