February 27, 2007

China's planting of corn to be up while soy and wheat planting down

A survey of China's rural households planting intentions released February 25 revealed that corn and paddy planting would be up while soy and wheat planting would be down for this year.

The survey, commissioned by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), involved 16,870 rural households in 881 counties of 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities

The report, released on February 25 said China's grain growing area in 2007 will retain the level as in 2006, but the structure of growing of economic crops would be adjusted.

The area sown to paddy per household would be up 1.5 percent, wheat would be down 3.1 percent, corn up 3.6 percent and soy down 5.2 percent.

Per household grain sowing area would reach 9.52 mu (15 mu= one hectare), equal to the level in 2006. Grain remains the major crop to be planted, accounting for 68.4 percent of the total sowing area per rural household.

The report said grain sowing area was retained thanks to support from central and local governments, grain prices being maintained at high levels and the increasing use of mechanised cultivation.

The survey also found that sowing area of cotton, vegetables, and sugar crops would rise this year while that for tobacco and oil-bearing crops would be reduced.