China farm produce prices up slightly

BEIJING - China's farm produce prices in 36 large and medium-sized cities edged up slightly in the week ending Jan 18 compared with the previous week, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

The average price of 18 vegetables went up 0.5 percent in the time period. The price of wax gourd and cabbage rose 7.7 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively.

Last week, the price of pork and mutton dropped 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. The average price of aquatic products went down 0.3 percent, and egg prices declined 1.1 percent.

The price of rice, flour, soy bean oil and peanut oil remained flat, according to the ministry.

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

China's CPI grew 2 percent in 2014 from one year earlier, well below the government's 3.5 percent target set for the year, according to the official data.

The increase was also below the 2.6 percent growth registered in 2013.

CPI growth rebounded to 1.5 percent in December from November's 1.4 percent rise, its slowest increase since November 2009.