May 17, 2011

Corn planting in China's Heilongjiang may expand

Corn planting in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the country's major source of corn production, is almost complete and the acreage for 2011 is seen to add some 333,300 hectares to more than 5.53 million hectares.

Corn purchases from farmers in the province have nearly completed and corn processing will last till the end of this month.

Meanwhile, corn trading on the market is still thin as the government has rolled out serials of policies to limit corn consumption of deep processing mills since April. However, prices maintain stable despite the slack trade.

Currently, Heilongjiang's livestock breeding sector has a slower restocking progress mainly affected by weak poultry and egg prices, and is expected to pick up production in the second half to further drive up corn production and sales.