A State Council executive meeting on Sept 26 called for increased efforts to monitor and stabilize market prices to guarantee people’s quality of life.

“Departments in various regions should attach high importance to stabilizing market prices, which concerns the interest of thousands of families and overall social development,” Premier Li Keqiang said at the meeting.

Data show that domestic prices remained stable in general this year, with CPI rising 2.4 percent in the first eight months, but prices of food such as pork have seen considerable increases.

The Premier called for market-oriented methods to curb rapid increases of food prices, keep PPI stable, and maintain prices for the year within a reasonable range.

According to media reports, some local governments have imposed bans or limits on the hog-breeding industry as it is regarded as a source of pollution.

“Such arbitrary policies will cut the supply chain, and unreasonable bans and limit must be lifted,” the Premier said, adding that “the priority should be given to guaranteeing hog production and stabilizing prices by market-oriented means.”

The meeting decided to guarantee the supply and stabilize prices of essentials, recover hog production by removing unreasonable bans or limits, increase the supply of beef, mutton and poultry, and ensure food supply during holidays and other important periods.

Premier Li also called for work to guarantee basic needs of impoverished people and other key groups through temporary subsidies in full and on time, and to ensure that meat is supplied to school canteens.

Efforts were also urged to track and analyze prices of bulk commodities in the international market, prepare for the natural gas supply in winter, and expand effective investment to stabilize production and operations in certain industries as well as boost employment.

Meanwhile, market supervision and price monitoring will be enhanced with a strict crackdown on illegal activities such as making up and spreading false information and manipulating prices.

Related departments across regions should pay high attention to prices of basic essentials and major living goods, the Premier said.