China food security: Beijing urges all-out wheat harvest efforts to limit rain-damage fallout
- Continuous rain and high humidity in China’s wheat-production bases in Anhui, Hubei and parts of Shaanxi, as well as Henan, have ruined vast stretches of crops
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has urged local authorities to speed up the harvesting and drying of damaged grain
China has urged local authorities to speed up the harvesting and drying of damaged wheat in a bid to save crops from heavy rain amid Beijing’s increased focus on food security.
Continuous rain and high humidity across northern China, home to the country’s wheat-production bases in Anhui, Hubei and parts of Shaanxi, have caused pre-harvest germination, also known as sprout damage. Wheat has also been infected by blight, which brings higher risks of toxins and limits end-use applications, such as baking.
“Harvest as soon as possible,” the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said late on Tuesday, while also calling for 24-hour telephone hotlines to be set up.
Open areas in public squares or outside premises should be fully utilised to dry wheat to prevent them from rotting in reserves
China is the world’s largest consumer and producer of wheat and authorities have been stepping up efforts in recent years to ensure enough food to feed its 1.4 billion people, particularly in the face of global turmoil and uncertainties that affect imports, including the Ukraine war.
The ministry said state-owned grain reserves and local governments should work to “overcome all challenges” and gather sufficient crop-harvesting and drying machines, while ensuring enough power to operate the machinery, to reduce potential losses.