Chinese government urges efforts to boost autumn grain production

　　CHANGSHA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Friday China's autumn grain production has entered a critical period, as it urged local authorities to step up efforts to ensure a good harvest.

　　The autumn grain harvest makes up 70 percent of China's total annual grain harvest, Minister of Agriculture Han Changbin said at a meeting in central China's Hunan Province.

　　The MOA predicted the autumn grain planting area will hit 76 million hectares this year, 871,000 hectares more than last year.

　　Han urged local authorities to work to ensure a bumper harvest.

　　The MOA also asked local authorities to keep close watch on weather conditions and to make efforts to minimize losses.

　　The ministry said it will send agriculture experts to different localities to give advice on grain production.

　　China's summer grain output declined 0.3 percent year on year to 123.1 million tonnes this year, the first fall in seven years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.