March 9, 2009
China's grain output safe from worst drought in 30 years
This year's severe drought would have no obvious impact on China's grain output, a senior official said Friday (Mar 6).
The three-month drought condition in northern China has been alleviated by irrigation as well as rain and snow in some of the affected regions, Chen Xiwen, director of the office of the central leading group on rural work, said on the sideline of the annual session of the country's top political advisory body.
Chen said the prolonged drought was China's worst in 30 years.
He added that the drought had threatened more than 40 percent of the total 400 million mu, or 160 million mu of winter wheat crop. However, by the end of February, about 140 million mu have been irrigated to relieve the drought.
Chen also told reporters the output of winter wheat crop accounted for only a little higher than a fifth of the country's total grain output.
Last year, China produced 528.5 million tonnes of grain and it is aiming to produce about 500 million tonnes this year for its own consumption.
