Heavy Rains to Disrupt Wheat Planting in Parts of China

Heavy rains will hit parts of China’s biggest grain producing areas in the next ten days, affecting crops from wheat to rice, the country’s weather bureau said.

Medium-heavy rains are expected this week in western areas of Henan province, the country’s top wheat hub, which could lead to too much moisture in the soil and hinder planting of the staple grain, the National Meteorological Center said in a report on Monday.

Low temperatures and rains, expected in most parts of southern China over the period, will slow the maturing of the late rice crop, it said. Higher precipitation in northwestern and southwestern regions could also disrupt the corn harvest and wheat plantings.

Production in China, the world’s largest food consumer, is threatened by the rise in extreme weather patterns globally. Any significant crop damage or losses could push the country to source more from the global market and further tighten supplies.

Persistent heavy rains in the summer lashed China’s wheat crop in the north, particularly in Henan, damaging a large chunk of the harvest. China has stepped up purchases of better-quality wheat from the global market to bolster domestic supplies.

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