<p>China's agriculture ministry on Thursday urged feed producers and slaughter houses to speed up the resumption of production, in a bid to increase supplies amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus.</p>.<p>Factories typically shut down during the Lunar New Year holidays, which have been extended to at least Feb. 2 to curb the spread of the epidemic that has killed 170 in China and infected more than 7,700 individuals.</p>.<p>The virus outbreak has led to a jump in prices and insufficient supply of food in some Chinese cities due to panic buying and disruptions to transportation.</p>.<p>The transportation ministry issued a statement on Thursday asking local authorities not to cut off highways and main roads between provinces despite the virus outbreak.</p>
<p>China's agriculture ministry on Thursday urged feed producers and slaughter houses to speed up the resumption of production, in a bid to increase supplies amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus.</p>.<p>Factories typically shut down during the Lunar New Year holidays, which have been extended to at least Feb. 2 to curb the spread of the epidemic that has killed 170 in China and infected more than 7,700 individuals.</p>.<p>The virus outbreak has led to a jump in prices and insufficient supply of food in some Chinese cities due to panic buying and disruptions to transportation.</p>.<p>The transportation ministry issued a statement on Thursday asking local authorities not to cut off highways and main roads between provinces despite the virus outbreak.</p>