February 20, 2008

China expects big wheat harvest for 2008

China is likely to see a big wheat harvest this year, provided there are no more major natural disasters, a meteorological official said Tuesday (February 19, 2008).

The recent heavy snowstorms in southern, central and eastern China are not expected to have a significant impact on wheat output, and the snowfall is generally good for winter wheat, as it kills insect pests and keeps the wheat warm, said Mao Liuxi, senior engineer at the ecological and agricultural meteorological office under the State Meteorological Centre.

However, a possible heavy spring drought in eastern China may have a negative impact on spring planting, he cautioned.

The snow also affected 584,000 hectares of wheat acreage, of which 190,000 hectares were damaged and another 17,333 hectares were rendered unharvestable, the ministry said.

China's winter wheat acreage is almost the same as last year's - around 18 million hectares. This meant the snowstorm affected 3.2 percent of winter wheat acreage and damaged 1 percent.

China's Ministry of Agriculture Monday pledged to restore crop production and urged its provincial departments to take measures to restore production and guarantee supply of major agricultural products following some of the country's worst snowstorms in decades.

Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai said it will be increasingly difficult to guarantee supply of oilseeds, vegetables and meat in the coming months, but the country is unlikely to see a big shortage of agricultural products.