China cracks down on illegal grain exports

<p style="MARGIN: 0px 3px 15px">BEIJING -- China's customs have tightened blocking illegal grain exports triggered by international price hikes.</p><p style="MARGIN: 0px 3px 15px">As the international rice and wheat prices surge to historical highs, cases of grain smuggling are on the rise, said customs officials.</p><p style="MARGIN: 0px 3px 15px">Among eastern China's coastal ports, Hangzhou Customs stopped four such attempts and blocked nearly 7 tonnes of rice and 33 tonnes of wheat in half a month. Ningbo Customs blocked more than 130 tonnes of wheat in four recent cases.</p><p style="MARGIN: 0px 3px 15px">In March, international rice prices rose to the highest in 19 years, and wheat prices rocketed to a record peak in 28 years. At the same time, China's domestic grain prices only reported mild hikes, up 5.7 percent in January and 6 percent in February.</p></div>