China found 200 million yuan (US$29.4 million) worth of substandard farming materials such as fertilizers and seeds last year, the country's quality watchdog said on January 5.

In 15,714 cases, officials helped farmers recover a total direct loss of 94.9 million yuan, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ).

More than 210,000 quality supervisors checked 2,2631 companies in the campaign aimed to boost grain production and farmers' income.

The GAQSIQ said it would step up efforts to safeguard farmers' interests and focus on the quality of fertilizers this year. It noted companies intentionally making substandard fertilizers would be blacklisted and exposed.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2009)