January 2, 2009

China takes steps to aid drought-hit wheat growing areas

China's Ministry of Agriculture Wednesday (Dec 31) said it has taken steps to contain the impact of the ongoing drought in major wheat producing areas, which will threaten the crop during winter.

The drought in east China started in late October and will have a negative impact on wheat in winter, the ministry said in a statement published on its Web site.

About 730,000 hectares of wheat in the major producing Henan province, or around 14 percent of the province's total of 5.07 million hectares of wheat, have been affected by the drought as of December 26, and the province has allocated RMB90 million to combat it, according to Xinhua News Agency.

As of Tuesday (Dec 30), Anhui province has irrigated 60 percent of the wheat areas in the province affected by the drought, said the ministry.

It added it has sent professionals to drought-hit areas to help with irrigation and other issues.

Analysts said the drought so far will not have much of an impact on next year's output as it is not the crucial growing period now.