The Chinese Government unveiled more than 2.4 billion yuan ($352 million) in new funding on April 19 to ensure summer grain and oil output, as extreme weather across the country threatens harvests.

Severe drought in southwest China, persistent cold weather in the north and snow in Xinjiang Uygur and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions had caused "tremendous difficulties" for agricultural production, said a statement issued after a meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao.

The Central Government would offer farmers subsidies of 10 yuan ($1.47) per mu (0.067 hectares) for fertilizer for 53 million mu of winter wheat in 11 affected production regions, said the statement.