The Shanxi province harvested 12.5 billion kilograms of grain in 2015, making it one of the highest grain output years since 2000, Shanxi Daily has reported.

The grain acreage reached 32.9 million hectares in 2015, an increase of 5,466 hectares. Summer grain crops amounted to 2.72 billion kilograms, up by 4.8 percent; the autumn gross output was 9.8 billion kilograms, a slight decrease from a year earlier.

Despite unfavorable weather conditions, the grain production remained steady last year thanks to use of scientific methods and subsidy policies.

The province has used 39.2 million yuan ($5.96 million) from the central government and 35.91 million yuan from the provincial government in 325 grain and cotton high yield demonstration fields. The output of the demonstration fields increased remarkably with the help of new species and new technology.

An additional 83 million yuan was allocated from the central government for plastic film mulching of dry land wheat.