Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua asked for effective efforts to ensure a good summer grain harvest and for the whole year, and stressed work on sowing autumn grain.

He made the remarks as he inspected grain production and processing bases, family farms, and farmers’ cooperatives in East China’s Jiangxi province on May 17.

Noting that there is about half a month before the summer grain harvest, Hu said that it is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of plant diseases and pests, organize cross-regional machine harvest operations, and strengthen field management to ensure a bumper harvest of summer grain and rice.

He directed that the sowing of autumn grain be speeded up and stressed drought prevention and seed protection.

He urged efforts be made to innovate agricultural business models, encourage more family farms and farmers’ cooperatives, and constantly improve the efficiency of agricultural management.

He also stressed the need to pursue coordinated progress in the production of live pigs, vegetables, fruits, and oil crops, as well as to prevent and control animal diseases, and effectively ensure market supply.