Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged more efforts to ensure grain production and improve rural livelihoods to ensure fast and steady rural development.

Hui made the remark at an agricultural products fair in Changchun, capital of the northeastern Jilin Province on Tuesday, saying the government will continue to see maintaining a fast and steady rural economic development as a top task.

He called for promotion of agricultural technology and products to increase the competitiveness of China's agricultural enterprises and their products in the global market.

"The overall situation about the country's agriculture and rural development is good, and China has seen a summer grain output growth for six straight years this year", he said.

He also urged more efforts to fight drought in parts of China and "try every means" to ensure harvest this fall and a continuous rise in farmers' income.

As of Sept. 8, a severe drought has affected 19.72 million mu (1.31 million hectares) of crops in seven provinces of Hunan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing, according to data from the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

About 2.75 million people and about 1.20 million livestock had difficulties getting adequate water supply.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2009)