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Chinese stock up on food as temperatures drop and advance of COVID-19

Beijing residents stocked up on cabbage, rice and flour for the winter on Wednesday, after the government urged people to keep essentials in case of emergencies, although it assured them there were enough supplies after some purchases of panic.

China’s Ministry of Commerce published a seasonal advisory on Monday encouraging authorities to do a good job of ensuring stable food supplies and prices before winter, following a recent surge in vegetable prices and a growing outbreak of COVID-19.

But the advice to households to also keep basic supplies in case of emergencies created significant confusion, prompting some to rush to supermarkets to buy additional supplies of cooking oil and rice.

The instructions of China futures for domestic edible oil, as well as Malaysian palm oil, also pushed higher.

“It’s going to be a cold winter, we want to make sure we have enough to eat,” said a woman loading rice on a bicycle in front of a supermarket in central Beijing.

A long line formed at the supermarket cabbage stand as people bought supplies of the vegetable that is traditionally stored at home and consumed during the winter months.

But many residents said it was not necessary to buy more food than usual.

“There is no need. Where can I store vegetables at home? I get enough for my daily needs ”, declared a retiree from Beijing surnamed Shi who came out of another supermarket in the capital.

Others said they did not expect a shortage, particularly in the capital.

A government council is issued every year to residents to buy supplies before winter, said Ma Wenfeng, an analyst at AG Holdings Agricultural Consulting.

“It is necessary because there is often heavy snowfall in the winter and it seems that there will be some uncertainty about the weather conditions this year. So I think this is a pretty normal issue, “he said.

The China National Meteorological Center predicts a drop in temperatures over the weekend in the northwest, southwest and most of the central and eastern regions.

State media have tried to reassure the public about the abundance of basic supplies.

But some panic buying appeared to continue on Wednesday, with several people complaining online about empty supermarket shelves, largely attributed to a growing COVID-19 outbreak.

China on Wednesday reported its highest number of new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in nearly three months, including nine new infections in Beijing, the largest one-day increase in the capital this year.

Chinese authorities generally respond to COVID-19 cases by enclosing entire communities where they occur, restricting movement to and from affected areas.

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