October 11, 2010

China finishes two thirds of autumn grain yield

China has completed 62.7% of its autumn grain harvest, the state-backed China National Oil and Grains Information Centre (CNGOIC) said Friday (Oct 8), citing data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.

As of a week ago, the pace of this year's fall harvest was proceeding slightly faster than a year earlier, the ministry said. Last year's autumn grain output was 374.2 million tonnes. Autumn grains account for nearly half of the full year's crop.

About 83% of the soy harvest has been completed, along with 72% of the corn crop and 69.2% of mid- and single-season rice, according to the CNGOIC.

Neither agency ventured estimates on the likely completion date or volume of the harvest, although at the current pace, the harvest would likely be completed by the end of the month.

Unofficial estimates project a slightly larger autumn crop than last year, and there have been few weather anomalies in the second half to seriously threaten the projection.