Torrential rains have hit China’s wheat fields at harvest time, leaving crops waterlogged and moldy in the country’s top producing province.
State media called it “the worst prolonged spell of wet weather during harvesting” in more than 10 years. The six days of rains in the central province of Henan have also delayed machine harvesting and caused sprouting, which affects both yields and quality, according to state media.
While it’s too early to assess the damage, the impact could be significant. China is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of the food staple, and this season is set to be the largest importer. Any shortfall in production or quality could force the country to ramp up imports, tightening global supplies.
The province of Henan grows about 27% of the country’s wheat, followed by other regions such as Shandong, Anhui, Hebei and Jiangsu, US Department of Agriculture data show. The grain is the dominant staple in the northern part of the country where it’s used mainly to produce noodles and steamed buns.
“We should expect much more sprouted wheat this year than normal,” said Zhang Zhidong, a senior analyst with Guolian Futures. “As quality drops, less of the crop will be used to make flour and more will go for animal feed.”
Online videos show unharvested crops that have turned black, rotted or sprouted. The head of one village in Henan said about 2,000 mu (about 133 hectares) of wheat is in a similar condition, with another farmer in a different region having to abandon 600 mu of his crops because of the damage.
Urgent Steps
State media also reported that hundreds of harvesting machines on the way to gather the new crop in Henan were stuck on highways because of a lack of certification, increasing the delays.
The issue is so worrying that the Henan government is taking emergency action to save the crop. It’s mobilizing harvesters and drying machines in the region and neighboring provinces to ensure a timely and efficient harvest. The authorities are also using any available non-traditional locations to dry the grain, from village squares to school playgrounds and flat rooftops.
With all the efforts, Henan has managed to harvest just 4.5% of all the wheat acreage in the province so far, state media said. Wheat harvesting in the country normally finishes around the third week in June.