November 14, 2007

China's soy yield down 20 percent
 

China's average soy yield per hectare fell by 20.2 percent this year - the lowest level since 1993 - as production was hit by drought and floods, the National Development and Reform Commission said Tuesday.

The latest survey in seven provinces shows the average soy per hectare yield fell to 1.54 tonnes this year, down 0.39 tonnes from last year, the country's economic planning body said on its Web site.

The decline was mainly because of drought in the northeast and floods in central China, it said.

The China National Grain and Oils Information Center said earlier this month soy output is likely to fall by 12 percent from last year to 14 million tonnes, with the total acreage down by 6.3 percent to 8.7 million hectares.