east coast farmers desparate for rain, page-6

Key crops at risk.
August 24, 2009 - 4:30PM. Reuters.
A serious drought in China's main soy producing region won't mean crop failure if there is rainfall over the next month and frost is delayed, Vice-Minister for Agriculture Niu Dun said.

"We've already taken active measures to rectify the situation, including emergency irrigation," he told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing.

"We're adopting technological measures - artificial rain, irrigation - and are also considering replanting and adjusting the mix (of crops)."

Drought in the crucial agricultural regions of the northeast began in late July, and up to 8.67 million hectares of crops are under threat as a result, China's Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief said on Sunday.

The anti-drought authority said 4.61 million people and 4.05 million head of cattle are facing difficulties finding drinking water, and warned the problem could spread to the south as high temperatures continue to prevail.

Rainfall in Jilin province, which produces 13 per cent of China's grain harvest, is down 80 per cent compared with normal levels, local officials said last week.

Neighboring Heilongjiang province, which has also been hit badly, produced 40 per cent of China's total soybean crop last year.

Chen Lina, soybean analyst with Beijing Oriental Agribusiness Consultants, said despite a bout of recent rainfall, it was hard to be optimistic about this year's crop.

"Last Tuesday there was rain and that was a turning point, but I spoke to the manager of a large farm in Heilongjiang and he said the crop was bound to be smaller than last year," she said.

Reuters