BEIJING, CHINA — With autumn harvest in full swing, China is expecting a bumper grain crop, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Based on the latest survey by the ministry, 33.6 million hectares of autumn grain crops have been harvested nationwide as of Oct. 3, equal to 38.6% of the projected total and up by 2 percentage points from the same period a year ago. 

Almost 70% of the autumn grain harvest has been completed in southwest China, and in northeast China more than 20% has been finished, the ministry said on Oct. 8.

Autumn grains in northeast and northwest China and on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in north China are growing very well, and the average per unit yield of corn, rice and soybeans has increased, Zhu Juan, a ministry official, told the People's Daily.

According to the International Grains Council (IGC), as of Sept. 22 China’s total grains production is projected to reach 420.2 million tonnes in marketing year 2022-23, which would improve on the 2021-22 estimate of 418.7 million tonnes. China is expected to harvest 273 million tonnes of corn, 19.5 million tonnes of soybeans and 146.3 million tonnes of rice.

Technologies have played an increasingly important role in agricultural development for China, which is striving to achieve food self-sufficiency for its 1.4 billion people. The ministry has sent expert teams to offer technical guidance to help with harvests and released guidelines for south China to help it combat the impact that drought and high temperatures have had on the growth of rice and corn.