China's Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that sales of home appliances in rural areas jumped 123 percent from one year earlier in January, to 25.36 billion yuan (3.84 billion U.S. dollars), boosted by a government subsidy.

In January, 10.49 million home appliances were sold in the country's rural areas, up 80 percent year on year, the ministry said in a statement on its website, adding that it was the first time the monthly sales volume had topped 10 million units.

Further, televisions and refrigerators were the most popular appliances, whose sales hit 9.09 billion yuan and 5.77 billion yuan in January, respectively.

China introduced the subsidy program in 2009 to boost rural consumption amid the financial crisis. Under the program, Chinese farmers receive a 13-percent subsidy on purchases of designated brands of refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, computers, air conditioners, mobile phones, water heaters, microwave ovens and traditional ovens.