South Korea will provide 200,000 tons of fertilizer to North Korea this spring.

The Unification Ministry announced Tuesday that Seoul had decided on the aid upon the request of the North. Pyongyang was reported to have asked for increased fertilizer aid during the inter-Korean ministerial meeting held last month.

The ministry said in a report to the National Assembly that it would deliver the shipments during April and May, the period when North Korean farmers fertilize their farmlands.

According to the ministry, South Koreas National Red Cross will be in charge of the process.

South Korea has been providing annual fertilizer aid to the communist country since 1999. It has provided more than one million tons so far, including 200,000 tons last year.