Exertions should be made to ensure supplies of coal, oil, gas, electricity and agricultural goods and materials, according to an executive meeting of the State Council, China's Cabinet, held on Wednesday.

The meeting, presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, pointed out the guarantee of coal, oil, gas, electricity and agricultural goods supplies would provide the basis for promoting disaster relief, garnering agricultural harvests for the whole year and maintaining the national economy on a healthy and fast track.

The overall supply and demand for coal, oil, electricity and agricultural goods and materials are now in balance, with short supplies in some areas.

Efforts should be exerted to ensure coal, oil and electricity supplies firstly for the areas ravaged by the May 12 earthquake. On the precondition of work safety, coal production should be resumed as soon as possible in quake-battered Sichuan Province. Electricity transmission equipment and facilities should be repaired and restored as soon as possible to resume power supply in the quake-hit areas.

Meanwhile, according to the meeting, coal and oil production should be increased nationwide to ensure supply in peak season. Enterprises of high energy consumption and high pollution should have their electricity supplies restricted.

Fertilizer supply should be ensured and prices be kept stable. Coal, electricity, gas and raw materials supplies should be guaranteed for major fertilizer production enterprises. Export of fertilizer and its raw materials should be curbed, the meeting said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2008)