Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged local officials to better develop the tea oil industry to safeguard the nation's food safety and to raise the income of farmers.

More science and technology should be used to improve tea oil plant breeding and raise the per unit yield, Hui told a meeting in Changsha, capital of the central Hunan Province, held from Thursday to Friday.

This is conducive to eco-system protection while bringing more income to farmers in the outlying mountainous areas, he said.

Hui also called for increasing tea oil production and promote its intensive processing. He pledged the government would conduct a study to give subsidy and technical training to arouse enthusiasm among farmers.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2008)