China will increase grain and edible oil supplies, monitoring
rising food prices and strengthening market supervision and
management ahead of the Spring Festival national holiday, said a
senior official in an Internet interview on Thursday.
Wang Jinjie, head of the State Administration for Industry and
Commerce (SAIC) markets division, said on the central government
site, www.gov.cn., that market
supplies of grain and edible oil were guaranteed.
"The market order is stable and there is no need for panic,"
said Wang, adding that anyone who violated consumers' rights and
disrupted the market would be severely punished according to
industry and commerce regulations.
He said some vendors were still profiteering by "illegally
driving up food prices and hoarding goods" before and during
Chinese New Year holiday -- less than two weeks away.
"We are closely watching the promotion activities of
supermarkets and shopping malls, such as the limited time or
quantity offers, in case low-cost food and edible products of cheap
or substandard quality enter the market."
Consumers can complain and report on products or services
through a nationwide hotline number of 12315, Wang said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2008)
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