September 8, 2011

Persistent drought in southwest China is likely to have a limited impact on its autumn grain production, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

It is about one month before autumn harvesting. The country's autumn grain crops are growing well on the whole despite severe drought in southwestern regions, the non-major producing areas for autumn grain, the ministry said.

By September 5, drought-hit area in provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan, Chongqing Municipality and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region had reached 3.23 million hectares. Grain output in southwestern areas accounts for less than 20% of the nation's total.

Autumn grain, which mainly includes corn, mid-season and late rice, takes up about 75% of China's total grain production. The country is anticipated to achieve bumper harvests for the eighth straight year in 2011 given favourable weather conditions in most producing areas.