April 26, 2004

China Winter Wheat In Critical Period Amid Stripe Rust Concerns

The yield and quality of China's winter wheat crop could be lowered by the spread of stripe rust disease, local traders and analysts said Friday.
 
As the winter wheat crop has entered the critical growing period, the emerging stripe rust disease and drought have become increasing concerns, traders said.
 
The local agricultural authority in Henan province, the top wheat producing region in China, has already confirmed the existence of strip rust diseases, traders said.
 
Stripe rust turns wheat brown and dry at maturity, with a scorched appearance, local wheat growers in Henan said.
 
The late planting last fall and above-average precipitation are probably what caused the stripe rust disease, and the total infected area in Henan could expand to as much as 2 million hectares by early May, traders said.
 
As of late last week, about 2 million hectares of winter wheat crop have been plagued by stripe rust, said a report from China's Ministry of Agriculture.
 
Local governments should enhance field management of wheat crop and try to boost average yield by 75 kilograms/ha, the report quoted Du Qinglin, the head of MOA, as saying.
 
The wheat area infected with stripe rust in 2004 could reach 6.67 million hectares, according to a forecast by the MOA. China's total winter wheat crop is estimated around 19.5 million hectares.