The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the nation's economic planning agency, and eight other ministries said in a joint circular that 15.3 million metric tons of fertilizer, held in reserve for 2012, will soon be dispersed.

Transportation departments should allocate an adequate number of vehicles to ensure the fertilizer reaches needy areas, according to the circular.

Local authorities should also intensify crackdowns on counterfeit and substandard fertilizer to protect farmers, the circular said.