Chinese agriculture has partly recovered from the devastating snowstorms earlier this year as central and local governments strive to minimize the negative impact on the sector.

Through March, 29.32 million mu (1.95 million hectares) of crops had been replanted in the snow-ravaged areas, including 17.24 million mu of vegetables, according to Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) statistics released on Tuesday.

About 13.87 million square meters of livestock pens were repaired, accounting for more than 70 percent of the total damaged by the snow.

The ministry said local governments in the affected regions need to pay attention to both the agriculture restoration and spring ploughing to guarantee a good harvest this year.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu urged local authorities to attach great importance to the spring farm work.

Local governments and agriculture departments must ensure the supply of farming materials and the acreage of grain and oil crop plantings, Hui said on Tuesday at an agriculture work conference in Taiyuan, capital of the northern Shanxi Province.

Winter storms reaped havoc over nearly half the country in January, leading to dead livestock, damaged crops and serious economic loss.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2008)