April 14, 2008

China think tank sees 2008 corn area down 2.3 percent

China's corn planting area is estimated at 27.4 million hectares in 2008, down 2.3 percent from a year earlier, according to a report issued by the country's grain think tank Monday.

However, output may rise 0.7 percent on-year to 149 million tonnes due to a 3.1 percent increase in yield to 5,438 kilogrammes per hectare, the China National Grain and Oils Information Center said.

The center expects wheat area to fall by 0.9 percent to 22.8 million hectares but output in the new crop year to rise 1.5 percent to 107.6 million tonnes due to a 2.4 percent increase in yield, it said.