China's farm produce prices edge up slightly

A customer selects vegetables at a supermarket in Huaibei, Anhui province, December 10, 2014. [Xie Zhengyi / Asianewsphoto]

BEIJING - China's farm produce prices in 36 large and medium-sized cities rose slightly in the week ending Dec 28, compared with the previous week, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday.

The average price of 18 vegetables went up 1.2 percent in the time period. The prices of winter melon and green pepper rose 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Last week, the prices of mutton and beef rose 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, and pork declined 0.7 percent. The average price of aquatic products went up 0.4 percent, and egg prices dropped 1.3 percent.

The prices of rice and flour stayed flat, and bean oil and peanut oil prices went down 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent, according to the ministry.

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

China's CPI grew by its slowest pace in five years in November, rising by 1.4 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Analysts have predicted that China's CPI growth in December will stay flat at 1.4 percent compared with November.