China farm produce prices up slightly

BEIJING -- China's farm produce prices in 36 large and medium-sized cities edged up slightly in the week ending Dec.14 compared with the previous week, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday.

The average price of 18 vegetables went up 2.5 percent in the time period. The prices of radish and eggplant rose 6.4 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively.

Last week, the prices of pork and beef declined 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, and mutton rose 0.5 percent. The average price of aquatic products increased 0.5 percent, and the egg price dropped 0.1 percent.

The rice price stayed flat and flour price rose 0.3 percent, according to the ministry.

Food accounts for about one third of China's consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation.

China's CPI grew by its slowest pace in five years in November, rising by 1.4 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

This is the third month in a row that China has seen its CPI rise within 2 percent. For the first 11 months, inflation grew 2 percent, well below the 3.5 percent full year target set by the government.