September 22, 2006

Drought unlikely to affect China's abundant grain harvest this year
 

China is expecting a grain harvest of 490 million tonnes this year, 6 million tonnes more than last year, according to a forecast from the China Information Centre of Grain and Oil.

This would be the third consecutive year China's grain output has been increasing, noted Shang Qiangmin, director of the centre.

Shang said a two-month summer drought affected grain production areas and had caused 40 million tonnes of grain to be lost so far this year.

Despite the loss, China could still expect an abundant harvest this year, he said.

China's summer grains account for a third of annual production but a good harvest in North China this autumn is expected to offset the damage done.

China reversed the downward trend in grain production in 2004 as output surged 9 percent to 469 million tonnes from 430 million tonnes the previous year.