China wheat industry gets US$14.6 million for drought

China's government has earmarked 100 million yuan (14.6 million US dollars) for wheat areas that are hit by drought.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) said the contingency fund would help farmers overcome an "extremely severe" drought that has plagued north China since the beginning of the winter.

The fund would go mainly to the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu.

About 119 million mu (7.9 million hectares), or 100 million mu more than the same period last winter of wheat cropland in the provinces is threatened by drought, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The severe drought followed lower than average rain in most parts of northern China. In some areas, rainfall is 70 to 90 percent down on the average winter.

The MOF asked local governments to take strict measures to ensure the fund would be dedicated to anti-drought purposes only.