BEIJING -- China's foreign trade of agricultural products rose 6.4 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, official data showed.

The country's imports and exports of farm produce totaled $171.76 billion during the period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

China's exports of agricultural products went up 1.7 percent year-on-year to $47.71 billion, said the ministry.

Its imports of such products reached $124.05 billion, climbing 8.3 percent from the same period last year.

China's trade deficit for farm produce stood at $76.34 billion in the same period, up 12.9 percent year-on-year, the data also revealed.