The State Council, China's cabinet, on Tuesday stressed the importance of timely spring farming and a steady business environment for stable employment.

 

Local governments should take responsibility for guiding spring farming to ensure stable agricultural production and a bumper harvest, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

 

Efforts should be made to promote agricultural enterprises, involving seed, fertilizer, pesticide and fodder production, to resume work, while establishing smooth channels for the transportation of agricultural materials to ensure sufficient supply.

 

The country will provide support such as extending loans to key poultry suppliers with great losses, and strengthen cooperation between slaughtering enterprises and farmers, said the statement.

 

Steps will be taken to restore hog production, help more farmers to receive subsidies and discounted loans, and increase government purchasing and storage of frozen pork.

 

China will also strengthen the control and prevention of animal diseases including bird flu and African swine fever, enhance monitoring and respond promptly to new outbreaks, according to the statement.

 

The meeting decided to temporarily exempt social insurance payments and defer the collection of housing provident funds to mitigate the impact of the epidemic outbreak on enterprises and ensure stable employment.

 

The balance of the social insurance funds was taken into consideration while making these policies and the timely and full allocation of pension funds can be ensured, said the statement.

 

The meeting urged stepping up efforts on the release of epidemic prevention guidance for work and production resumption based on local realities and canceling unnecessary security deposits.

 

The well-planned return of migrant workers and the expanded scale of online recruitment for college students were also stressed in the statement.

 

The meeting called for efforts to ensure the granting of unemployment insurance and encouraged areas hit hard by the virus to open temporary positions for public welfare.