China warns floods could aggravate crop diseases, infestation in northeast

An electrical pylon is seen reflected in the floodwaters at a flooded corn farm after the rains and floods brought by remnants of Typhoon Doksuri, in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, China August 7, 2023. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

BEIJING — China called on Wednesday for more measures to protect its crops after warning that the recent floods in its grain-producing northeast region could worsen diseases and infestations.

So far, diseases and pest infestations were “relatively light” with no significant impact on the autumn grain production, the agricultural ministry said in a statement, adding that the flooding “may exacerbate the prevalence” of diseases that affect corn, rice and soybeans.

China was inundated with heavy rain and flooding in northern and northeastern regions in recent weeks brought by storms from Typhoons Doksuri and Khanun.

The extreme weather may lead to severe pest infestations that target cotton, corn and soybean in some areas, the ministry said.

For example, the northern armyworm has been found in 136,000 mu (9066.7 hectares) in Keyou Middle Banner, Xingan League, Inner Mongolia, of which an area of 20,000 mu (1333.3 hectares) was severely affected, it added.

The ministry held a meeting in northeastern Heilongjiang province on Tuesday to discuss prevention and control of major autumn grain diseases and pests in the region, known as China’s “great northern granary”.

The rains have affected 3.87 million mu (258,000 hectares), almost 2%, of the sown area in Heilongjiang, China’s largest grain producing province, state broadcaster reported last week.

The ministry has maintained the 2023/24 corn output estimate unchanged at 282.34 million metric tons, even though it said some producing areas had been flooded.

On Monday, China’s vice premier Liu Guozhong said damaged farmland, water conservation and other infrastructure needed to be quickly repaired to ensure a speedy recovery in grain production, state media reported.

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