Harvesting starts

Tang said the harvest season has begun in 13 provinces, ensuring that supplies reach the market.

Late last month, Guangdong Agriculture Bureau said that output of winter vegetables in the province had exceeded 10 million tons, with 50 percent to 60 percent of that total going to areas outside Guangdong.

In North China, vegetable production has largely returned to normal, thanks to generally good weather since the middle of last month.

Tang said, "Falling prices for spinach and lettuce in some areas reflect the improving supply and demand situation."

Wang Ling, who lives in Chaoyang district, Beijing, said: "Vegetables were recently expensive, with broccoli priced at 20 yuan per kg. The price is now only 12 yuan. That's great."

The ministry has taken measures to ensure vegetable supplies are available nationwide in autumn and winter, while stabilizing prices.

Areas producing greenhouse vegetables have been urged to make good use of such premises that are vacant.

To improve self-suffiency, cities are being encouraged to develop leafy green vegetables that are difficult to store or transport.

The ministry is instructing local authorities to arrange a structure for vegetable varieties and a planting scale. "We are encouraging planters and cooperatives to expand their plantations," Tang said.

Emergency plans for vegetable production should be drawn up to limit the possible impact of La Nina, the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, the ministry said.

Measures should be taken in areas producing vegetables to monitor and prepare for bad weather and insect disasters, it added.

Local authorities are being urged to promptly release information about vegetable production, deliveries and consumption. "Green channels for fresh agricultural produce should be established," the ministry added.

Cities have been told to ensure that emergency supplies are available during the pandemic.

After vegetable prices started to fluctuate in Zhengzhou, Henan, the agricultural produce delivery center arranged for traders to boost purchases and also increased supplies, especially for varieties that had seen high price rises.

By the end of last month, the price of spinach in 80 percent of the city's markets had been stabilized at 12 yuan per kg, according to Zhengzhou Daily.

To stabilize prices in Beijing, the authorities have exempted entry charges for vegetables and five types of domestic fruit shipped to major agricultural produce wholesale markets.

The city will subsidize markets from Nov 1 to March 15, according to a circular released by the municipal commerce bureau on Nov 1.

Tianjin has launched "government-reserved vegetables" at prices about 40 percent lower than those seen typically, while Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, has limited the price of vegetables for 15 consecutive days, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.