[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Large-scale crop damage has occurred due to massive flooding in Henan Province, a major grain-producing region in China, raising concerns about disruptions in food production. Following last year's Yangtze River floods, there are fears of significant damage to the autumn grain harvest this year as well.
According to local media including the Chinese state-run Global Times on the 27th, the Henan provincial government announced that the area of crop damage is 9,721 km², of which 1,089 km² is in a condition where no crops can be harvested at all. This is more than 2,000 km² increase compared to the damage area announced on the 23rd.
A farmer from Kaifeng, Henan Province, told the Global Times, "This year's vegetable harvest is expected to decrease by 50-60% compared to the previous year, and we will replant to reduce losses." Henan Province is expected to see about a 9-10% reduction in autumn harvest due to this massive flood.
Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Research Institute of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said in an interview with the Global Times, "Henan produces nearly 10% of China's grain and more than 25% of summer grain, so the production gap in Henan cannot be replaced." He added, "Basically, the summer grain harvest was completed before the flood, but there will still be serious damage to grain processing, storage, and transportation."
Meanwhile, the Henan provincial government announced that as of noon on the same day, the death toll from heavy rain increased by one to 69, with 5 people missing. In Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, on the 20th, rainwater poured onto subway tracks and flooded subway cars in operation, resulting in 12 deaths among about 500 passengers. On the same day, more than 200 vehicles were submerged when a road tunnel in central Zhengzhou was flooded, and 6 deaths were confirmed.
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