China: 80% of winter wheat now sown as provinces race to advance autumn-winter planting

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in its latest crop update that more than 80 percent of the country’s winter wheat has been sown, as many provinces move swiftly to advance autumn-winter planting, according to China Media Group (CMG). Nearly 85 percent of the crop has been sown in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Central China’s Henan Province is nearing 80 percent, East China’s Anhui Province has passed 80 percent, East China’s Jiangsu Province is about 65 percent, while East China’s Shandong Province and Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province are approaching 90 percent. Winter rapeseed planting is largely complete, CMG reported. Persistent rainfall has delayed winter-wheat planting in some producing areas, prompting localities to make up for lost time and push autumn-winter sowing forward. Anhui moved early to map more than 43 million mu (2.87 million hectares) of winter-wheat area down to specific plots and stepped up deep tillage to speed up soil-moisture ...