China's summer grain output exceeds 150 million tonnes

BEIJING, July 24 -- China's summer grain output reached a record 150.75 million tonnes this year, surpassing the 150-million-tonne mark for the first time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Friday.

The country has now developed more than 66.7 million hectares of high-quality farmland in total, which has supported consecutive record harvests, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Xingwang told a media conference.

China's autumn crop planting area has risen slightly in 2026, laying a solid foundation for another bumper harvest, Zhang said. Autumn grain accounts for about three-quarters of the country's total annual grain output.

In the first half of the year, China also stepped up efforts to invigorate its seed industry. Domestically bred crop varieties now account for over 95 percent of the total planted area.

According to meteorological forecasts, China will see more frequent extreme weather events during this year's main flood season, and some areas may experience abrupt shifts between drought and flood. Meanwhile, a strong or even super El Niño event is taking shape, which could bring more heat, heavier rainfall, and more severe droughts to certain regions, Zhang said.

To cope with the risks, the ministry will closely monitor weather changes and step up coordination with meteorological, water resources, emergency management and other departments to issue timely warnings, Zhang said. Stockpiling of materials and deployment of technical expertise will be strengthened to minimize disaster losses.

He also stressed that close attention will be paid to major crop diseases and pests, including rice planthoppers, rice leaf folders and southern corn rust.