China’s record heat and heavy rain raise food security concerns

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China is grappling with extreme weather as severe drought and record temperatures scorch the north while heavy rains inundate the south, raising concerns about food security in the world’s second-largest economy.

Areas of the country that produce a lot of rice and wheat have been badly affected, disrupting spring and summer planting seasons.

The Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday that drought and heat have had an adverse impact on the planting season in some northern and central provinces, and it warned that temperatures were expected to surpass 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in the coming days.

An emergency alert covering at least seven provinces, including the major agricultural regions of Henan and Shandong, was already in place because of dry, hot conditions.

“The recent persistently high temperatures have accelerated the loss of water in the soil and (caused) drought in some areas, which has negatively affected the summer sowing season,” the ministry said in a statement. “The drought is likely to continue and the task of protecting the summer planting season is difficult.”

In Henan, China’s top wheat producing region which accounts for a quarter of total output, rainfall in May was 70% lower than the yearly average, Yang Wentao, a provincial official, told national broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday.

Parts of the country are experiencing a major heat wave.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said on Wednesday that 28 regional weather stations broke their respective records for the highest temperature ever recorded in mid June. The city