April 6, 2007

China soy planted area to fall in 2007, corn area seen up

China's 2007 soybean planted area is expected to drop 500,000 hectares or 5.49 percent on-year to 8.6 million hectares, as more farmers switch to corn planting, according to China Grain and Oil Information Centre (CGOIC).

CGOIC said domestic corn planted area is estimated at 27.6 million hectares in 2007, up 670,000 hectares or 2.50 percent from 2006.

Due to the drought in northern China, domestic wheat planted area this year is expected to decline by 650,000 hectares from 2006 to 22.8 million hectares, CGOIC reported. Planted area for winter wheat is seen at 21.3 million hectares for 2007, down 2.83 percent on-year.

Domestic rapeseed planted area in 2006 fell 3.8 percent on-year to register 7 million hectares, while 2006 rapeseed production dropped 2.7 percent on-year to 12.7 million tonnes, CGOIC said.