August 23, 2004

Record Soybean Output Anticipated In China's Heilongjiang Province
 

Soybean output in China's northernmost Heilongjiang province, the country's leading soybean producer, is estimated at record 7.65 million tons this year, according to local agronomists.

Soybean acreage has reached about 3.4 million hectares this year, the highest in 30 years, noted the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Heilongjiang boasts one third of both national total soybean sown acreage and output.

Soybean agro-experts with the academy attributed this year's rosy soybean output prospects to a number of factors. The factors include substantial measures taken by central and provincial governments to support soybean production, rising market prices for the crop, per-hectare soybean output increases due to application of new technologies, as well as farmers' growing enthusiasm for growing soybean.

Heilongjiang province launched a three-year scheme of rejuvenating soybean production in 2002, which produced a positive outcome. Marked improvement in quality, increased output and sown acreage were observed, said the agronomists.