The circulation and prices of agricultural products in the Chinese market have largely returned to normal following a period of widespread disruption.

Chen Ping, an inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture0s Market and Information Department, said the supply chain of agricultural products in some areas had been disrupted and prices have fluctuated greatly due to the Covid-19 outbreak, which was first detected in China in November.

However, the Chinese market is now relatively stable, he said. 

Recently, amid improvement in the situation with Covid-19, the circulation of agricultural products has generally returned to normal and prices have fallen steadily from their peak.

In the first quarter of the year, China's Agricultural Product Price Index 200 for the wholesale sector rose significantly in January and February and then fell from March onwards.

By late April, the index was at the same number of points as in mid-December.

Liu Lihua, deputy director of the Plantation Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that vegetable supplies will be sufficient over the coming months.

There are currently more than 67 million mu (4.5m hectares) of land producing vegetables, marking an increase of 20 million mu (1.3m hectares) at the end of March, she said.

The temperatures will also be higher soon and there is ample sunlight, creating favorable factors for the early growth of vegetables, she said.

National road transport has largely returned to normal and checkpoints that hinder the harvest of vegetables have on the whole been eliminated.

Wholesale markets, large supermarkets, and convenience stores have also generally resumed normal operations, facilitating smooth sales, she said.