Alert in China: Heatwave threatens rice and cotton production

China's Meteorological Department issued a warning on Thursday about a prolonged heat wave expected to affect the country's east, central and southern regions during the month of July. This extreme weather event poses a serious threat to rice and cotton production, essential for national food security. Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), emphasized the need for precaution against the risks of reduced productivity of cotton and different stages of rice due to high temperatures and heat damage. He made the warning during a press conference. Regions such as Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Gansu and Ningxia are expected to experience summer temperatures 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above average, as indicated by the CMA. China has experienced consecutive summers of intense and prolonged heat, exacerbated by global climate change. Last month, record temperatures severely affected major grain-producing provinces, forcing ...