World Agricultural Production: Corn Harvest in Eastern China

China?s 2014/15 corn production is estimated at 214.0 million tons, down 3.0 million tons or 1.0 percent from last month and down 4.5 million tons or 2.0 percent from last year?s record crop. Area is estimated at 36.8 million hectares, surpassing last year?s record by 1.0 percent. Area has shown a strong upward trend in recent years, particularly in Northeast China, as farmers have switched to corn from less profitable crops such as soybeans. Yield is estimated at 5.82 tons per hectare, down 1 percent from last month and down 3.4 percent from last year?s record. The revision is based on information from crop models and satellite imagery, and reports from local government and industry sources. A serious drought developed in July and August in parts of Northeast China and the North China Plain. At its peak in late August, the drought affected approximately 5 million hectares of crops (mostly corn) in the critical reproductive/filling stage. Sharply lower yields have been reported in some of the drought-impacted areas, particularly in Henan and Liaoning provinces.