BEIJING - Farm produce prices in 36 major Chinese cities rose slightly in the week ending Jan 5 compared with the previous week, according to Ministry of Commerce statistics on Tuesday.

Average wholesale prices of 18 kinds of vegetables rose 2.9 percent from a week earlier, while the costs of bitter gourds and eggplants increased 10.7 percent and 8.5 percent respectively.

The prices of grain and oil rose slightly, with soybean oil increasing 0.1 percent.

The price of eggs rose 0.3 percent while the average wholesale cost of aquatic products dropped 0.1 percent.

The cost of beef went up 0.2 percent, while pork prices dropped 0.8 percent compared with the previous week.

Food accounts for about one-third of China's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation.

The CPI grew 3 percent year on year in November, down from 3.2 percent in October, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.