July 14, 2011

China will likely harvest a total of 116.79 million tonnes of wheat this year, up 1.4% from last year, despite earlier concerns over drought damage to winter crop, according to the latest estimate by an official think-tank.

China National Grain and Oils Information Centre (CNGOIC) revised upward the country's wheat output after the National Bureau of Statistics said the country's winter wheat, which accounts for a majority of the wheat harvest, was 2% higher than last year at 110.79 million tonnes.

The bumper wheat harvest would ease food inflation worries in the world's largest wheat consumer.

In the latest report, CNGOIC maintained its estimate for the country's 2011 corn harvest at a record 181.5 million tonnes, which would be up 2.4% from last year. The soy estimate also was unchanged at 14 million tonnes.