Price of rice rises

GUANGZHOU - The price of rice in most shops in this Guangdong provincial capital have increased 10 percent in the past month due to the severe drought in southwestern China.

Huang Weijuan, a Guangzhou housewife, said she spent 55 yuan ($8) to buy a bag of rice in Taojin agricultural bazaar in the city's Yuexiu district over the weekend.

"But the price for the same bag of rice, which weighs 20 kg, was about 50 yuan a month ago," Huang said.