China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs says autumn grain is growing normally, with a foundation for a bumper grain harvest this year

Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Xingwang said in Beijing on July 24 that this year's autumn grain planting area is expected to remain basically stable with a slight increase, and the current crop growth in the field is generally normal, providing a good foundation for a bumper grain harvest this year. Zhang Xingwang explained that autumn grain accounts for a large share of the country's annual grain output. At present, except for some doublecropping late rice in the south that is still being transplanted, the autumn grain planting area has basically been fully implemented; meanwhile, various localities are promoting measures to increase perunit yields, and the promotion of technologies such as integrated waterfertilizer irrigation has also contributed to overall stable seedling growth. He also pointed out that there are still more than two months before the largescale harvest of autumn grain, and the current period is a critical stage for flood control and yield formation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will closely monitor risks such as torrential rain and flooding, summer drought, heat stress, and lowtemperature early frost, and will prepare reserves of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and epidemic prevention supplies to strengthen disaster response.