The overall water-heat condition in the main producing areas in July was suitable. Abundant rainfall in most northeastern areas improved soil moisture in drought areas, and owing to ample sunshine, the growth of corn was the same or a bit better than that in the same period of previous years. Most corn in the northeast is during the jointing-silking stage, and most corn in north China and Huang-Huai Region is during the stage from seven leaves to jointing. Predicted 2017 corn yield possibly would reach the average level of last five years, down 2% from 2016.

 

However, due to less rainfall in the northeast especially in most Liaoning and northeast Inner Mongolia during April-May, some seriously-drought-prone regions had to plant other crops. The drought widened the decline of corn planting areas in the northeast. It was predicted that 2017 corn planting areas would be 35.5 million ha, down 3.4% from last year.

 

2017 corn output would reach 208 million MT, 11 million MT less than last year.

Table 1, China’s Corn Production and Yield
Unit: 000HA, KG/HA, 000MT

		Acreage				Yield				Production
		2015	2016	2017e		2015	2016	2017e		2015	2016	2017e
Total		38,117	36,760	35,500		5,892	5,973	5,862		224,580	219,554	208,100
North
Hebei		3,250	3,200	3,150		5,450	5,647	5,439		17,713	18,071	17,132
Shanxi		1,702	1,700	1,670		5,520	5,720	5,581		9,393	9,724	9,320
Subtotal		4,952	4,900	4,820		5,474	5,672	5,488		27,106	27,795	26,452
Northeast
Inner Mongolia		3,437	3,250	3,110		6,546	6,354	6,174		22,500	20,652	19,201
Liaoning		2,350	2,250	2,180		5,319	5,780	5,470		12,500	13,005	11,925
Jilin		3,750	3,550	3,400		7,600	7,696	7,702		28,500	27,321	26,187
Heilongjiang		5,900	5,400	4,800		6,102	5,990	5,904		36,000	32,348	28,340
Subtotal		15,437	14,450	13,490		6,446	6,459	6,349		99,500	93,326	85,653
East
Anhui		861	860	850		5,300	5,400	5,327		4,563	4,644	4,528
Shandong		3,173	3,050	2,990		6,442	6,787	6,562		20,444	20,699	19,620
Henna		3,352	3,300	3,260		5,519	5,784	5,677		18,500	19,087	18,506
Subtotal		7,386	7,210	7,100		5,890	6,162	6,008		43,507	44,430	42,654
Southwest
Sichuan		1,402	1,380	1,380		5,000	5,364	5,201		7,010	7,402	7,178
Guizhou		803	800	800		5,300	4,613	4,740		4,257	3,691	3,792
Yunnan		1,556	1,530	1,530		5,300	5,106	5,082		8,248	7,813	7,776
Subtotal		3,761	3,710	3,710		5,188	5,096	5,053		19,515	18,906	18,745
Northwest
Shaanxi		1,177	1,150	1,100		5,000	5,044	4,924		5,884	5,801	5,417
Xinjiang		924	923	900		6,500	6,501	6,502		6,009	6,000	5,852
Subtotal		2,101	2,073	2,000		5,660	5,693	5,634		11,893	11,801	11,268
Other provinces		4,479	4,417	4,380		5,310	5,344	5,145		23,786	23,603	22,537

Data source: BOABC Database, Date of Forecast: August 2017.