February 23, 2011

China's drought-hit wheat areas continue to drop

China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Monday (Feb 21) that the drought-hit areas in the country's major wheat-growing regions had declined thanks to irrigation.

As of Sunday, drought area in the country's eight key producing provinces dropped 492,000 hectares from Thursday to 6.12 million hectares, with the planting area severely hit by the drought down 80,000 hectares to 1.12 million hectares.

China's main wheat growing regions include the provinces of Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Jiangsu, accounting for more than 80% of the nation's total wheat output. The country's winter wheat output is about 90 million tonnes, or more than 90% of annual wheat production.

Currently, average temperature in winter-wheat growing areas of most north China regions has reached above three degree centigrade, which is favourable for irrigation.

MOA called on local authorities to take advantage of favourable weather conditions to continue irrigation against spring drought.