China '09 wheat output likely same or higher versus 2008

China's wheat output this year is likely to be the same as last year or even slightly higher, the State Administration of Grain said late Wednesday (May 20).

New wheat prices after the coming harvest are expected to be basically stable around the minimum purchase prices, it said in a statement published on its Web site.

Last year, China raised its minimum purchase prices for wheat to be harvested in 2009 by 13 percent to 15.3 percent on- year to RMB1,660-RMB1,740 a tonne.

China's wheat output last year was 112.5 million tonnes, according to an estimate from the China National Grain and Oils Information Center.