BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China will increase spending to pledge more than 333 million mu (22.2 million hectares) of winter wheat nationwide this year to ensure a good yield for next year, Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai said Friday.

    Sun also said the planting area of winter rape should exceed 100 million mu nationwide, and that for winter potato in the south should reach more than 20 million mu this year.

    Sun called for more efforts to increase yield. Output of wheat should be more than 320 kilograms per mu this year, 1 kilogram more than a year ago. Yield for rape is set above 128 kilograms per mu this year, 2 kilograms more than last year, Sun said.

    He urged local agriculture authorities to work out detailed plans for subsidies to farmers for high-quality seed purchase and make sure they receive the subsidies before planting in autumn and winter this year.

    He ordered good implementation of the policies of minimum purchase price for wheat and temporary reserves for rape to stabilize their market prices. He also promoted the use of advanced technology and equipment, and prevention of natural disaster and insect problems.