More Chinese provinces are working to promote the use of controlled-release fertilizer in agricultural production this year, according to the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NAESC).

Pilot programs of promoting the controlled-release fertilizer have been expanded to more than 20 provinces, compared with five in 2008, the NAESC, a department under the Ministry of Agriculture, said at a seminar held in the northeastern province of Jilin.

The move is aimed at reducing pollution caused by the excessive use of fertilizer to protect the environment and save energy, the NAESC said.

The controlled-release fertilizer is an energy efficient fertilizer to synchronize fertilizer release with crop absorption according to the preset program.

NAESC director Xia Jingyuan said the use of controlled-release fertilizer can help increase agricultural production by 5 percent to 10 percent on average, or as much as by 30 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2011)