From Reuters:
A drought in southwest China, the worst in 50 years, has led to the loss of five million tonnes of grain and damaged more than two million hectares (7,700 sq miles) of farmland, state media said on Thursday. The government was helping farmers plant crops like sweet potatoes, beans and yams which can be harvested later in the year to make up for the shortfall, the China Daily said, citing a Sichuan province agricultural official.
It did not say what grains were affected, but rice and relatively small amounts of corn are grown in the region. China is likely to produce over 140 million tonnes of corn and just under 180 million tonnes of rice this year, analysts say. [Full Text]
