Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged more efforts by local governments to ensure agricultural production during an inspection tour of the northern Hebei Province from Friday to Sunday.

During his tour of the city of Zhangjiakou, Wen visited farmers, milk companies, inspected agricultural bases and held a meeting on agricultural production and rural work.

Wen said maintaining a steady output of grain and other agricultural products would help stabilize prices and keep economic development on track.

Even though the country had a good summer grain harvest and more areas to grow grain in the autumn, China is still facing uncertainties in agricultural production, such as droughts, early frost and pests, Wen said.

"Therefore, we must continue focusing on agricultural production and do everything possible to guarantee a good harvest this autumn," he said.

Wen called on local governments to implement policies to encourage livestock production and ensure the supply of meat in the market.

Local governments must improve the distribution of farm produces and facilitate a low-cost, high-efficient, safe and convenient marketing network for agricultural products, Wen said.

He urged more poverty-alleviation efforts to increase farmers' income by developing agricultural product processing companies.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2011)