October 11, 2006

Record corn yield in China's Jilin province

China's scientists announced on Oct 9 that corn yield in parts of the north-eastern province of Jilin had hit a record high of above 1000 kilogrammes per mu (1 mu=0.0667 ha). This is seen as an important milestone for the most populous country in the world, as it seeks to address the issue of meeting the food needs of its people.

Experts from China's Agriculture University and the Ministry of Agriculture were at the four high-yield plots--with a combined area of 30 mu--in Huadian region for a site visit. They verified that the combined average yield for these four plots was 1,122.11 kg. For a particular 1.3 mu plot, the yield was calculated to be at a record high of 1,150.4 kg.  

Corn is China's second biggest crop in terms of output. About 400 million mu of land is planted with the crop every year, yielding 350 kg per mu on average. Given its favourable geographical conditions, the northeast has long been the leading corn producing region in China. Corn output from Jilin accounts for one-seventh of the country's total production of the crop.