China's farm produce prices rise slightly

BEIJING - Prices of farm produce in China rose slightly in the week ending Jan 20, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The price index for farm produce edged up 1 percent from the previous week, while the index for production materials remained flat.

The average wholesale price of 30 types of vegetables went up 5.1 percent, compared with a 0.5 percent rise a week earlier.

The wholesale price of eggs rose 1.6 percent from the previous week. The price of beef went up 0.8 percent and lamb went up 0.1 percent.

Food accounts for about one-third of China's consumer price index (CPI).

China's CPI, a main gauge of inflation, rose 2.1 percent year on year in 2018, well below the government's annual target of around 3 percent.