Beijing shoppers stocked up on cabbage, rice and flour for the winter on Wednesday, after the government urged people to keep stores of basic goods in case of emergencies, though it assured them there were sufficient supplies after some panic buying.
Two grandmothers with their granddaughter trade vegetables at a market on the outskirts of Shanghai, China June 3, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
China's Ministry of Commerce published a seasonal notice on Monday encouraging authorities to do a good job in ensuring food supplies and stable prices ahead of winter, following a recent spike in the prices of vegetables and a growing outbreak of COVID-19. A long line formed at the supermarket's cabbage stall, as people bought supplies of the vegetable that is traditionally stored at home and consumed over the winter months.China's state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday that there had been some "over-interpretation" of the ministry's advice.