China urges families to keep stores of daily needs ahead of winter

A staff member arranges cartons of milk on refrigerator shelves at a supermarket in Beijing, China, May 21, 2021. Picture taken May 21, 2021. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

SHANGHAI — Chinese families should keep stores of daily necessities in case there is a sudden increase in demand, the Ministry of Commerce said, as the government strives to ensure sufficient food supplies heading into winter.

A ministry statement late on Monday urged local authorities to do a good job in ensuring supply and stable prices.

Local authorities should carry out preparatory tasks such as purchasing vegetables that can be stored well in advance and also look to strengthen emergency delivery networks to guarantee smooth and efficient distribution channels, it said.

Unusually heavy rains in China have caused vegetable prices to surge, fueling concern over food prices and worrying government officials in Beijing.

On Monday, China said it would strengthen efforts to reduce the amount of grain lost at harvest and food wasted in kitchens across the country as part of a broad action plan to further boost food security.