BEIJING -- The prices of farm produce in 36 major Chinese cities dropped slightly in the week ending Nov 10 compared with the previous week, a Ministry of Commerce statement said.

The average wholesale prices of 18 kinds of vegetables shed 1.2 percent from a week earlier with the prices of celery and cabbage dropping 8.8 percent and 8.4 percent.

The average wholesale price of aquatic products dropped 0.7 percent and the prices of eggs shrank 0.4 percent.

The cost of pork went down 0.3 percent, while beef and mutton went up 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent.

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

The CPI grew 3.2 percent year on year in October, up from 3.1 percent in September, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.