China tells officials to help feed, poultry firms after virus disruption

China's government told local authorities on Saturday to allow companies involved in feed production and poultry slaughtering to resume work as soon as possible and overcome disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Local authorities should ensure transport runs smoothly between cities and the countryside and should provide tax rebates, low-interest rates and other financial support to help the companies, Chinese state planners, as well as the agriculture and transport ministries, said in a joint statement.

In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, some provincial governments have imposed restrictions that have disrupted feed supplies and the transport of live animals to slaughterhouses. The ministries said the support was needed to ensure the industry's basic production capacity would not be undermined and to guarantee the effective supply of meat, eggs, milk and other products to consumers.

($1 = 6.9859 Chinese yuan renminbi)