China's Northern Farmers Brace for Extreme Weather

(Bloomberg) -- Farmers in China have been dealing with extreme weather, resulting in fields flooding damaged crops, and once again they are bracing for another round of heavy rain. There’s a high risk of flooding in parts of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces, according to the National Meteorological Center. That could inundate corn and soybeans and impact crop growth, the weather agency said on its website.

China’s northeastern provinces are an agricultural powerhouse, accounting for around 45% of the national corn harvest and 60% of the country’s soybeans. The region has been battered by torrential rains, including from the remnants of Typhoon Khanun that swept through South Korea, which have flooded crops.

Some fields are still being drained and more rains threaten to saturate crops, according to a statement from the agriculture ministry issued late Saturday. The government department urged local authorities to prepare for more volatile weather and secure grain production across the nation.

Soil moisture levels remain too high in parts of Heilongjiang and Jilin, delaying the growth of crops such as corn and soybeans, while heavy rains have flooded some low-lying land in Liaoning over the past week, the weather agency said. However, favorable temperatures and sunlight in the northeast over the next 10 days may help to drain flooded fields, according to the agency.

Other areas are expecting more rain, including parts of Shaanxi and Henan provinces, and southwestern and southern China, which is likely to affect some rice and corn crops, according to the weather agency.