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China predicts summer grain output of 122.5M tonnes

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-12 20:57

BEIJING - China has reaped 80 percent of its wheat harvest and is expected to reap 122.5 million tonnes of summer grain this year, said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Friday.

Related readings:  Drought eases in China's major grain production base  Lack of water endangering NE China's grain production  China to launch national spot checks on grain stockpiles  Grain output poised for huge boost

This will be the sixth year in a row for China to achieve grain output growth, the MOA said.

The planting area for summer grain crops this year increased by 7.3 million Mu (486,667 hectares) from last year and the average yield is expected to keep the level of last year, said Sun Zhengcai, Minister of Agriculture.

China has finished rapeseed harvest, with the output expected to hit a record high of 13 million tonnes.

The harvest this year is expected to be achieved despite climate difficulties including droughts in northern China and rains and relatively low temperatures in southern China, Sun said.