BEIJING, Nov. 10 -- China is stepping up the purchase of autumn grain, with companies in the country's major grain-producing areas purchasing over 40 million tonnes of grain so far, data from the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration showed Friday.

The administration said that purchasing activities in the market had been brisk, with grain prices remaining relatively stable.

Local governments should provide better services for farmers and toughen their crackdown on all types of irregularities to maintain market order and safeguard the rights and interests of farmers, it said.

It also called for efforts to closely monitor the prices of major autumn grain products, such as rice, corn and soybeans, and provide region-specific countermeasures against adverse weather.