May 4, 2010

China's Heilongjiang to grow less soy

The impact of continuously low temperature may affect soy farming in Heilongjiang province in Northeast China.

China National Grain and Oil Information Centre (CNGOIC) quoted the information provided by Heilongjiang Agricultural Committee that the province's soy acreage may drop 8% on-year to 4.3 million hectares.

The abnormally low temperature in April this year has delayed sowing season for about ten days to early May. Heilongjiang grows 40% of the country's soy. CNGOIC said local farmers might shift to planting more corn and rice, farming 4% more or a total of five million hectares of corn acreage this year.