Corn planting progressing well in northeast China

Corn planting is well underway in China's northeast, although later than usual because of wet and cold weather, according to provincial officials.

A local agricultural official in Heilongjiang province said planting was underway in the province but 15 days later than usual. Weather in the province had turned better on Wednesday (May 12). In Jilin, an official said planting was almost finished, but a week later than usual.

An official at Liaoning province's Agricultural Commission declined to comment, but a report from the state-run Xinhua news agency said planting there was almost finished, although delayed.

Agriculture Minister Han Changfu, visiting Liaoning on Wednesday, said planting needs to finish by the end of the month.

An Agriculture Ministry official said that the weather looked good for planting between May 12 and May 17 and the ministry was urging farmers to plant as quickly as possible. He said there should be no problem in Liaoning and Jilin, but Heilongjiang, the second-largest growing area, was less certain.

The ministry's website said seedlings were already developing in Liaoning. The three provinces, along with Inner Mongolia, produce about 40 % of China's corn.

The delayed planting season had prompted fears about the size of China's next corn harvest due in October, after last year's damaged crop left the world's second-largest corn-consuming nation facing a possible shortage.

China's Dalian corn futures fell on Thursday (May 13) on expectations that more imports could ease the shortage.