Bulletin

wall bulletin
China’s crop productionChina

Authors: 超级管理员 | Edit: zhuliang

During the July to October monitoring period, large differences were observed between the northern and southern half of China. The South experienced above average temperatures and a large rainfall deficit. Rain was above average in the North. From July to mid-August, the Yangtze River basin experienced dryer and warmer conditions than normal. They had an adverse effect on crop growth. Sichuan, Chongqing, Jiangxi and Hunan were mostly affected by these adverse conditions. The Northeast of China, most of Shandong, Shaanxi and Shanxi had normal temperatures and high precipitation, with generally better-than-average crop growth. The negative impact of local flooding was generally limited to parts of southern Gansu.

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FIG.1 Crop growth during the peak growth period of summer crop crops in China in mid-August 2022 (compared with the average of recent 5 years)

China's total crop production in 2022 is 646.74 million tons, a decrease of 5.48 million tons or 0.8% year-on-year. Of which, the total production of staple crops (wheat and rice) is 329.53 million tons, a slight decrease of 1.76 million tons, or 0.5%; As a result of crop type shifting policy, the total production of summer crops (including maize, semi-late rice, late rice, spring wheat, soybeans, legumes and tuber crops) is 476.96 million tons, a decrease of 4.75 million tons, or 1.0%, compared with 2021; the total production of winter crops (winter wheat, rapeseed, and other minor crops) is 142.23 million tons, down 0.98 million tons, or 0.7%. The main reason for the reduction in winter crops production is the year-on-year decline of 1.9% in planted area; total production of early rice was 27.55 million tons, an increase of 0.25 million tons, or 0.9%. As far as the provinces are concerned, most of the provinces in the Yangtze River Basin saw a year-on-year decrease in summer crop production. Among them, Jiangxi (-4.7%), Sichuan (-4.5%), Chongqing (-4.1%), Hubei (-2.3%) and Hunan (-2.2%) had slightly larger reductions in their summer crops. Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang summer crop production also fell slightly. In Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia due to the shrinkage of maize planted area, summer crop production decreased by 5.2% and 2.5% respectively. Summer crop yields increased in Xinjiang (+5.7%), Shanxi (+1.8%), Fujian (+1.8%) and Jilin (+1.7%) due to generally better agro-meteorological conditions than last year. 

 

Table 4.2 Summer crop and annual crop production and variation in China in 2022


Summer crop

Total annual production

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

Anhui

20169

-1.4

35888

-2

Chongqing

7862

-4.1

7862

-4.1

Fujian

5190

1.8

6072

1.8

Gansu

6842

-1.3

10405

-0.4

Guangdong

7837

-1.8

11991

-1.7

Guangxi

9391

-0.4

14129

0

Guizhou

12672

-0.9

12672

-0.9

Hebei

21253

0.4

33761

-0.5

Heilongjiang

76543

-5.2

76543

-5.2

Henan

24378

-0.8

57031

-1.3

Hubei

18600

-2.3

25652

-1.9

Hunan

18913

-2.2

27872

-0.6

Inner Mongolia

33402

-2.5

33402

-2.5

Jiangsu

20337

-0.5

34324

-0.2

Jiangxi

9959

-4.7

15822

-2.8

Jilin

40792

1.7

40792

1.7

Liaoning

21323

0.7

21323

0.7

Ningxia

2796

1.3

2796

1.3

Shaanxi

7623

-0.6

11689

-1

Shandong

20511

0.8

47663

0.1

Shanxi

9345

1.8

11684

2.3

Sichuan

26468

-4.5

32424

-3.3

Xinjiang

9988

5.7

15106

4

Yunnan

15343

0.5

15343

0.5

Zhejiang

6292

-1.1

6879

-0.9

subtotal

453829

-1.5

609125

-1.3

China*

476959

-1

646736

-0.8

*Note: Total national production does not include crop production in Taiwan Province.

Maize: China's total maize production in 2022 was 227.19 million tons, down 6.65 million tons or 2.8% year-on-year, with the main reason for the decrease being a 3.2% year-on-year reduction in maize planted area. Although some of the main production areas suffered from extreme heat and drought and local flooding disasters and other unfavorable factors, China's northeast and the Huanghuaihai regions compensated for these losses. The national average maize yield is expected to be 5,560 kg/ha, a slight increase of 0.4%.

In northeastern China, rainfall was significantly higher than normal, resulting in localized flooding in northwestern Heilongjiang, central Jilin and north-central Liaoning, but sufficient precipitation contributed to generally better crop growth than in 2021. Maize yields increased in Jilin (+1.2%), Liaoning (+1.5%) and Heilongjiang (+2.9%). As China's largest maize-producing regions, northeastern Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang saw the most significant shrinkage in maize acreage. This led to a 4.9% and 12.7% year-on-year decline in maize production. Persistent high temperature weather in the Yangtze River basin since July led to severe drought in Chongqing and Sichuan provinces, resulting in maize yield decreases of 6.4% and 9.4%, respectively. Maize planted area in Jiangsu decreased year-on-year, resulting in a 2.5% reduction in maize production. Maize production increased in Shandong (+0.8%), Shanxi (+1.8%), Yunnan (+3.2%) and Xinjiang (+7.0%), thanks to generally favorable agro-meteorological conditions during the reproductive period.

Soybean: The year 2022 produced the largest soybean crop in China in the last 10 years. The area reached 9.851 million ha, an increase of 2.043 million ha or 26.2% from the previous year. The national average yield was 1,846 kg/ha, an increase of 0.5% year-over-year. China's soybean production reached 18.19 million tons, an increase of 3.84 million tons or 26.8% year-over-year, the largest increase in 10 years.

The soybean planted area in Heilongjiang Province reached 4.962 million ha, an increase of 1.384 million ha or 38.7% from 3.578 million ha in 2021. Soybean planted area in Inner Mongolia reached 1.486 million ha, an increase of 0.438 million ha, or 41.8%. compared with 1.048 million ha in 2021. The significant expansion of planted area contributed to the increase in soybean production in Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia, by 1.98 million tons and 0.5 million tons, an increase of 41.3% and 41.0%, respectively. In addition, soybean production in provinces such as Henan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Shandong and Shanxi also increased to varying degrees. The main reason for the significant increase in soybean planted area is the increase in subsidies for soybean planting. The multi-pronged measures of soybean producer subsidies, arable land rotation subsidies and soybean seed subsidies have bridged the revenue gap between soybeans and maize.  All relevant subsidies are directly paid out to the farmers, which encouraged them to increase soybean production.


Table 4.3 production and amplitude of maize, rice, wheat and soybean in China in 2022


Maize

Rice

Wheat

Soybean

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

Anhui

3589

1

16087

-2.1

14181

-2

1071

-0.2

Chongqing

1984

-6.4

4624

-3.1





Fujian



2251

1.8





Gansu

5497

-1.2



2610

5.2



Guangdong



10318

-1.6





Guangxi



9956

0.1





Guizhou

5147

-0.7

5480

-1.1





Hebei

19297

0.4



12199

-2

201

2.4

Heilongjiang

43870

-12.7

22774

2



6768

41.3

Henan

15246

-0.7

3701

-2

32508

-1.6

834

3.3

Hubei



14905

-2.3

4470

-0.1



Hunan



25043

-0.4





Inner Mongolia

23433

-4.9



1975

0.2

1707

41

Jiangsu

2137

-2.5

16148

-0.6

13574

-0.6

825

7.5

Jiangxi



14602

-2.7





Jilin

32066

2.1

5889

1.6



720

-12.1

Liaoning

16449

0.6

4645

1.2



431

-1.4

Ningxia

1689

-0.3

481

7.2





Shaanxi

3807

-0.1

978

-3.3

4003

-1.3



Shandong

19363

0.8



26909

-0.4

720

0.7

Shanxi

9347

1.8



2264

4.4

166

4.5

Sichuan

6535

-9.4

14855

-2.2

1972

2.7



Xinjiang

7432

7



5017

1.1



Yunnan

6629

3.2

5740

-2.6





Zhejiang



6217

-0.9





subtotal

223518

-3

184695

-0.9

121682

-0.8

13443

22.5

China*

227191

-2.8

195335

-0.6

134198

-0.5

18185

26.8

*Note: Total national production does not include crop production in Taiwan Province.

Rice: The total national rice production was 195.33 million tons, a decrease of 1.09 million tons or 0.6% year-on-year. Of which, the production of early rice was 27.55 million tons, an increase of 0.25 million tons or 0.9% year-on-year. The production of semi-late rice/single rice was 133.75 million tons, a decrease of 0.39 million tons, or 0.3%. Late rice production was 34.03 million tons, down 0.95 million tons, or 2.7%. Since the sowing of semi-late rice/single rice, generally favorable agrometeorological conditions in the northern single rice producing areas prevailed, with single rice production in Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang increasing by 1.2%, 1.6% and 2.0% year-on-year. Persistent extreme heat in the main rice producing areas of the Yangtze River Basin started at the maturing stages of semi-late rice. The impacts of heat and drought on semi-late rice was limited. Slight year-over-year declines in production have been observed in Hunan (-0.6%), Jiangxi (-1.2%), Anhui (-2.1%), Hubei (-2.1%), Sichuan (-2.2%) and Chongqing (-3.1%). The persistent extreme heat and dry weather lasted for almost the entire grainfilling period of late rice in the Yangtze River Basin, resulting in a 2.7% year-on-year decrease in national late rice production. Although persistent hot and dry weather resulted in severe meteorological drought, the agricultural drought was less severe thanks to the well-developed agricultural infrastructure. Nevertheless, late rice production still declined year-on-year in Jiangxi (-6.3%), Zhejiang (-4.1%), Hunan (-4.0%), Hubei (-2.9%) and Anhui (-2.0%).  Late rice production in Guangdong and Guangxi also declined year-on-year to varying degrees. Only Fujian late rice production increased by 1.8% year-on-year.

Table 4.4 Early, semi-late and late rice production and variation (%) by province in China, 2022


Early rice

Semi-late rice/single rice

Late rice

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

Production

Variation

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

(1000    tonnes)

(%)

Anhui

1058

-2.2

13467

-2.1

1562

-2

Chongqing



4624

-3.1



Fujian

881

1.8



1370

1.8

Guangdong

4154

-1.3



6165

-1.8

Guangxi

4738

0.7



5219

-0.4

Guizhou



5480

-1.1



Heilongjiang



22774

2



Henan



3701

-2



Hubei

866

-3.7

10875

-2.1

3164

-2.9

Hunan

8959

3.1

8387

-0.6

7697

-4

Jiangsu



16148

-0.6



Jiangxi

5863

0.5

2954

-1.2

5785

-6.3

Jilin



5889

1.6



Liaoning



4645

1.2



Ningxia



481

7.2



Shaanxi



978

-3.3



Sichuan



14855

-2.2



Yunnan



5740

-2.6



Zhejiang

587

1.6

4795

-0.6

835

-4.1

subtotal

27106

0.9

125793

-0.7

31797

-3

China*

27551

0.9

133749

-0.3

34035

-2.7

*Note: Total national production does not include crop production in Taiwan Province.