China’s Farmers Brace for More Rain and Flooding Risk to Crops

(Bloomberg) -- Heavy rains are expected to continue in parts of central and southern China this week, battering regions where high precipitation has already led to loss of life and flood damage to crops.

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Severe rainstorms, which could lead to landslides and floods, threaten six provinces including Jiangxi and Hunan, China’s Meteorological Administration warned on Tuesday. Those two provinces are China’s top growing regions for the early rice crop, posing a threat to the country’s food output at a time when arid conditions have disrupted production in northern grain baskets.

The northern drought has hit wheat production and delayed corn plantings in some areas. While high temperatures are expected to persist, rains could increase in other parts of the region, bringing much needed precipitation to newly planted crops, but also raising the risk of flooding.

The weather bureau said on Monday that heavy rains are expected in the northeastern grain hub of Heilongjiang province.

--With assistance from Wenshan Luo.

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