SHENYANG — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua has called for effective measures to promote corn production and advance spring farming in a bid to ensure stable production and supply this year.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection trip to Northeast China's Liaoning province from April 27 to 28.

Noting the importance of the province in stabilizing and increasing China's corn output, Hu urged efforts to guarantee corn planting areas, ensure the provision of agricultural supplies and machinery, enhance agricultural technology guidance, and improve farmland water conservancy facilities.

Efforts should also be made to strengthen the breeding and promotion of high-quality corn varieties and broaden the application of high-efficiency planting techniques to increase the country's corn production capacity with the help of technological progress, he said.