Beijing, May 7 (PTI): China has earmarked $ 116.9 million for efficient arable land fertilisation programme this year which will benefit 100 million farmers and increase grain output.

The programme with an investment of $ 116.9 million will cover 82.28 million acres of farmland, and at least 100 million farmers will benefit from it, officials with the Ministry of Agriculture said today.

It is believed that the programme will use less chemical fertiliser, reduce cost of agricultural production and help increase grain output.

In 2005, China invested $ 25.8 million in a pilot project for efficient land fertilisation.

The money was increased to $ 64.9 million for the purpose in 2006, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to rough statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, last year the efficient fertilisation programme operated on a trial basis in 42.74 milllion acres of farmland in 600 counties. Under this, approximately 500,000 tonnes of chemical fertiliser was saved, with utility ratio of the material raised five percentage points year-on-year.

Thanks to the efficient land fertilisation, wheat output increased by more than 400,000 tonnes in 93 wheat producing counties and rice production rose 1.6 million tonnes in central China's Hubei Province.