China's top economic planner said Saturday it would raise the minimum state purchasing prices for rice in major rice-production areas by up to 10.5 percent in 2010.

The move was aimed to encourage farmers to increase grain production and help grain prices rise in a stable manner, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The state purchasing prices for japonica rice would rise 10.5 percent to 105 yuan ($15.37) per 50 kilograms this year, according to the NDRC.

Prices for early and middle-late indica rice would increase 3.3 percent and 5.4 percent to 93 yuan and 97 yuan per 50 kilograms respectively.

In 2004, China started the practice of buying grain from farmers at state-set minimum prices when market prices drop below a specified point in order to encourage grain production.

The NDRC has already raised the minimum state purchasing prices for wheat in major production areas at the start of the year.

In January 2009, the NDRC raised the minimum state purchasing prices for rice up to 16.9 percent, the largest hike since the mechanism was introduced in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2010)