Ministry: Grain yields to increase

China is about to finish this year's autumn harvest with its grain output expected to increase for the ninth consecutive year.

China had reaped 67 million hectares of farmland by Oct 25, accounting for 86.4 percent of its total grain growing area, according to the latest progress report released by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The country has harvested 35 million hectares of corn, 98.4 percent of its total cornfield area and 6 million hectares of soybeans, 97.2 percent of its total soy growing area.

The country finished harvesting 94.3 percent of the grain-growing area in northeastern provinces, which are the country's major grain growers.

Given the current yields and a bumper summer harvest, China will have increased grain output for nine consecutive years by this year, the Ministry of Agriculture said. It did not release any data on the current yields.

zhousiyu@chinadaily.com.cn