A family planning official told a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday that the government is planning to spend 380 million yuan (US$45.7 million) this year on contraceptive medicines and devices.

Liu Jiwu, director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission's contraceptive medicine and device development center, said over 30 varieties of condoms and other prophylactics will be bought to meet growing public demand for more contraceptive options.

The government has procured and distributed an average of 1.2 billion condoms over the last few years, he said at a press conference on the 3rd China Exposition on New Birth Control Technologies and Products, slated for the capital on November 16-19.

The quantity and variety of contraceptives still falls short of public demand, said Liu, as China has more than 250 million couples at reproductive age.

While distributing more birth control medicines and devices to targeted groups like migrant workers, Liu said the government will gradually increase the procurement fund and take stricter measures to reduce waste in its distribution and use.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2005)