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More drought relief needed in provinces

(Xinhua/CFP)
Updated: 2009-02-04 11:51

BEIJING -- Governments at various levels should concentrate on combating drought, which has crippled China's agriculture, said Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Tuesday.

He urged to give drought-relief work top priority.

Farmers walk along the dried-up wheat fields in a village in Xinxian county, East China's Anhui province, on January 22, 2009. As of Monday, 141 million mu of wheat in six major grain producing provinces -- Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu and Shaanxi, were badly hit by drought, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. [Xinhua]

Hui said the people should build up their confidence and make every effort to overcome difficulties despite severe challenges.

He also asked local governments to strengthen management, adopt effective measures and enhance agricultural technology services so that farmers could get timely help and guidance.

Financial and material support should be ensured, he added.

Lack of rainfall has led to severe drought in northern China, leaving more than 140 million mu (9.3 million hectares) wheat affected, said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) head on Tuesday.

As of Monday, 141 million mu wheat in six major grain production provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu and Shaanxi, were hit by drought, MOA minister Sun Zhengcai said in an anti-drought video conference.

About 145 million mu crops have been affected by the drought nationwide, or 40 million mu more than the same period last winter, according to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

The figure indicated that almost 43 percent of the country's wheat was affected.

Sun said little rain fall since last October was the main reason for the prolonged drought in most of the northern areas, and frequent cold snaps this winter made the situation worse.

According to Monday's weather report by China Meteorological Administration, severe drought in north China was expected to continue as no rain has been forecasted for the next ten days.

The MOA warned that more wheat fields could perish if drought continues to linger.

To cope with the problem, the MOA asked agricultural departments of every level to collect all of their strength to channel water, enhance irrigation and fertilization.

MOA has sent 12 working teams of experts to the drought-hit provinces, to instruct farmers on drought relief work. The Ministry of Water Resources also said it would enhance supervision and launch emergency plan when necessary.

In Anhui Province, where drought has affected about 1.74 million hectares of area and caused an economic loss of 1.6 billion yuan (US$234 million), the provincial government allocated 10 million yuan of reserve funds for drought relief and seedling protection, 15 million yuan of special subsidies for anti-drought equipment and another 300 million yuan for farmers to buy relief materials.

Agricultural technicians have been sent to instruct farmers on drought relief work. The provincial government also plans to carry out artificial precipitation when weather permits.

As of Monday, The Ministry of Finance has allocated 100 million yuan (US$14.6 million) in emergency funding nationwide to help farmers combat weather difficulties.

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