China vowed late Friday to keep transportation of farm products unblocked in an effort to ensure adequate market supply and stabilize prices as the country would experience severe weather in coming days.

The government promised earlier this week that it would maintain a stable market and commodities necessary to the lives of the people would not be out of stock before and during the traditional Spring Festival holiday.

The slew of such moves were taken following inflation in China rising at their fast pace last year, with the consumer price index (CPI) increasing 4.8 percent.

"Transportation of fresh farm products -- including vegetables, fruits, livestock and poultry -- faces an extraordinarily grave situation as another round of widespread, continuous rain and snow will hit the country," the State Council, or China's cabinet, said in a statement.

"The transport authorities must strengthen road maintenance and promptly clear snow and ice from all the main and branch roads," it said.

The public security departments should maintain a good traffic order to ensure smooth transportation of fresh farm products. Vehicles carrying such products should be exempted from all traffic tolls.

The vehicles "must not be detained, penalized or unloaded on the way," it said. "All the gas stations must guarantee unlimited supply of oil for these vehicles, without price rises."

The railway departments must step up their efforts to increase transport capacity, especially for major cities.

The statement also ordered pricing, finance, commerce and quality authorities across the country to exempt wholesale suppliers of fresh farm products from "as many charges as possible."

The China Meteorological Administration on Friday put weather officials on a heightened state of alert as widespread rain and snow was looming in central and western provinces.

"The weather will severely affect transport, communications and energy supplies and people's work and lives," it warned.

The snow, the heaviest in a decade, has hit most of the country since January 10, leaving homes collapsed, power blackouts, highways closed and crops destroyed.

About 32.9 million people have been affected and damages are estimated at 6.23 billion yuan (US$865.3 million).

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2008)