September 21, 2012

China to see grain output increase for ninth consecutive year

China is expected to see an increase in grain output for a ninth consecutive year in 2012 if rice producing regions in the south are not affected by severe low temperatures during the late season.

It's about 10 days from autumn grain harvesting on a large scale. This year, the autumn grain planting area is higher than last year, and the major autumn crops of middle and late-season rice and corn are in good growth conditions.

Han Changfu, minister of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), said at a recent video conference that the country has seen a steady development in grain production this year by overcoming many unfavourable factors such as meteorological disasters, pest plague, mounting planting cost and fluctuation of the international grain market.

China has already realised bumper summer harvests. Its summer grain and early rice output increased 4.1 million tonnes over last year.