Chinese wheat may avoid drought losses

A farmer walks on a dried up wheat field on the outskirts of drought-hit Heze, Shandong province January 28, 2011. North China wheat-growing regions, including Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi and Jiangsu provinces, have received little rainfall since October last year. The central government has already allocated 4 billion yuan (608 million U.S.dollars) for grain production and rural water conservation projects, according to a statement issued after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao. [Photo/Agencies]

A view shows a dried up wheat field on the outskirts of drought-hit Heze, Shandong province January 28, 2011. The drought may not damage the crop because most areas have had enough rain and more is forecast for next month, said Zhao Guangcai, a member of the wheat expert group of China's Ministry of Agriculture. China's winter wheat areas in the north are frequently hit by drought and this year's situation is less serious than in 2008/2009 when China declared an emergency over the drought in parts of the same areas, including Henan, the top wheat area. [Photo/Agencies].