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Irrigation covers 52.7 pct of drought-hit wheat land

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-09 09:53

BEIJING - Irrigation has covered 52.7 percent of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture.

A total of 85 million mu (about 5.67 hectares) of wheat land have been irrigaed in drought-stricken provincial regions such as Henan, Anhui, Shandong and Hebei, the ministry told a meeting on Sunday.

Minister Sun Zhengcai said it is of importance to fully use machines in the fight against drought.

He asked local governments to increase subsidies for farmers to buy more irrigation-related and water-saving equipments, and make every effort to expand the irrigation coverage and save water.