China’s soaking wet wheat faces more weekend rain, putting farmers at risk of greater losses
- With blight and pre-harvest germination ruining vast swathes of China’s wheat-production base, local authorities and state stockpiler Sinograin ramp up efforts to save the critical crop
- Only about a quarter of Henan’s wheat fields have been harvested, and the undertaking could take another couple of weeks to finish
According to the province’s weather observatory, the central, western and southern parts of Henan will experience moderate to heavy rainfall from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, and some parts of the province could see up to 80mm (3.15 inches) of precipitation.
Heavy rainfall and high humidity since May 25 have already affected millions of tonnes of unharvested wheat, causing blight and pre-harvest germination that pose a serious threat to output in the world’s largest producer and consumer of the grain.
In response to the crisis, state stockpiler Sinograin said on Friday that it would dispatch more than 3,000 pieces of drying and storage equipment to its Henan branch, while making available 115 of its warehouses – featuring about 80 hectares (200 acres) of total drying area – for around-the-clock drying of grain.
Free unloading, drying and lodging services would also be available to farmers, and the state-owned giant said its measures would help process more than 1,000 tonnes of wheat a day.
The China Meteorological Administration said at a press briefing on Friday that extreme weather conditions were likely to persist throughout the month, with rainfall in most parts of China expected to be higher than normal.
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Why is the Chinese government so concerned about food security?