Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged local authorities to spare no effort to counter the impact of severe drought in a bid to ensure a good autumn harvest.

Local authorities should make every effort to increase farmers'incomes to shore up rural development to ensure stable and rapid economic development, Hui said at a rural work conference held in the eastern city of Hangzhou Thursday and Friday.

He said rural development had been "better than expected", as China had witnessed good grain harvest for five consecutive years and a good summer grain harvest this year despite severe weather, and farmers' incomes rose significantly.

However, as the economic recovery was not yet on a firm base, and there was a slowdown in income rises, the tasks of agriculture and rural development remained arduous, Hui said.

Hui asked local government to strengthen field management and reserves procurement, as well as put in place minimum purchase price policies to maintain reasonable prices.

By the end of August, drought had hit 120 million mu (8 million hectares) of farmlands in northeastern and southern areas of China, threatening the autumn harvest which comprises more than 60 percent of China's annual grain production.

Reservoirs and water pumps are running at full capacity to irrigate affected areas.

Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai expressed confidence on Monday the country would enjoy a good autumn harvest if there were no major natural disasters.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2009)