June 6, 2012

China's summer grain yield may hit record high

Due to larger area under crops and favourable weather, which boosted output, the summer grain harvest of China is likely to increase to record for 2012, stated the Agricultural Minister Han Changfu.

Winter wheat output, which accounted for about 90% of the summer harvest, is expected to rise for a ninth consecutive year in 2012, Han said over the weekend, according to a statement dated Sunday (Jun 3) on the Ministry of Agriculture website. He did not give a specific production forecast.

In 2011, winter wheat output totalled 110.79 million tonnes, up 2.12 million tonnes from 2010, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Summer grain output last year totalled 126.27 million tonnes, an increase of 2.5% from a year earlier, the NBS data showed.

Summer grain output accounts for roughly a quarter of the nation's total grain output. Most China's grain is harvested in the autumn, including corn, rice and soy.

Supply of agricultural products and grain remains tight despite a substantial increase in output over the past few years, as the nation's production capacity remains unstable, Han said.