Sales of agricultural products return to normal: Officials

Sales and distribution of agricultural products in China have basically returned to normal and prices are mainly stable or falling, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs revealed at a press conference on April 19.

Despite regional price fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, the domestic agricultural market is operating stably due to strong production capacity and sufficient volume, said Chen Ping, a senior official of the ministry's Market and Information Department.

The grain inventory is sufficient, and the production capacity of pigs and poultry continues to recover, said Chen, adding that the amount of seasonal vegetables on the market is increasing and the agricultural product market is expected to maintain overall stability.

With the gradual recovery of economic activities, consumer demands for farm products has picked up, according to Liu Lihua, deputy director of the ministry's Plantation Management Department.

She added that since February, vegetable production has scaled up across the country, with more fast-growing leafy greens planted. Currently, the area of vegetables under cultivation in China exceeds 4.47 million hectares, 1.3 million hectares more compared with the end of February.

In addition, road transportation in the country has basically recovered, while the wholesale market for agricultural products, large supermarkets and convenience stores has basically returned to normal, ensuring a smooth logistics network.

Officials said the ministry will focus on agricultural production, strengthen market monitoring and early warning, promote links between production and marketing -- and guarantee the supply of agricultural products.