June 14, 2006

 

China expecting good summer grain harvest
 

 

Chinese farmers should be having a good grain harvest this summer, according to Agriculture Minister Du Qinglin.

 

Du was speaking after an inspection tour of Hebei Province, a major grain producer in northern China. The summer harvest would underpin this year's plan to increase production, following last year's bumper harvest.

 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China produced 484 billion kg of grain last year, a 3 percent increase over the previous year. China's seven-year decline in grain output ended in 2004.

 

Summer grain plays a critical role in annual production in China. In the north, wheat harvested in summer is the determinant in the annual grain yield.

 

In the south, where rice is the staple food, the June harvest stabilises grain prices driven up by lower supplies of stored grain.

 

By June 8, 60.1 percent of the total grain acreage this year have been harvested, said a ministry official.

 

Figures for this summer's yield were still unavailable, he said. However, more than half of the wheat planted was the high-yield wheat of this year, an increase of 5 percent over last year. 

 

In Hebei, a major grain producing province, the grain output was estimated at 11.75 million tonnes this year, representing a consecutive increase for three years, according to the provincial agriculture department.

 

Henan Province in central China, another major grain production base, also expected a record yield, predicting 28.1 million tonnes, 9 percent more than last year.

 

The central government had increased subsidies to farmers this year and set a minimum purchase price for wheat for the first time to encourage farmers and increase output.

 

Du also urged more investment in science and technology for agricultural production and said the next challenge would be the autumn harvest.