-Central Plains Granary- Henan’s autumn harvest exceeds 90%, winter wheat sowing will begin

On October 8, the Chinese lunar calendar marked the arrival of Hanlu, one of the 24 solar terms, signaling the peak of autumn harvest in Henan province, often referred to as the “granary of Central China.” According to the Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as of today, autumn crops have been harvested across 10.654 million acres, which is 91.1% of the total sown area. This also indicates that winter wheat planting is set to begin across the province’s 8.5 million acres.

The autumn crop yield in Henan includes a variety of grains such as corn, rice, and soybeans, as well as oilseed crops like peanuts and sesame, plus cotton and vegetables. Official statistics show that, as of October 8, grain crops have been harvested from 7.071 million acres. The corn harvest is nearly complete, while rice, soybeans, and sweet potatoes have been harvested from 748,000 acres, 428,000 acres, and 208,000 acres respectively. Peanuts have also been collected from 1.854 million acres. In cities like Luohe, Kaifeng, and Zhumadian, the autumn harvest is nearly finished, and more than 90% of the harvest is complete in Pingdingshan, Nanyang, Zhoukou, Puyang, Xuchang, Shangqiu, and Zhengzhou.

We spoke with Ma Youyong, a prominent grain grower from Xinxiang County, who shared, “We’ve completed harvesting 3,000 acres of corn and are halfway through 5,000 acres of soybeans. The yield is about the same as previous years.” He attributed his success to effective field management, which helped mitigate the impact of drought conditions faced during the corn planting season.

As the autumn harvest draws to a close, preparations for winter planting are well underway. Henan stands as China’s leading wheat-producing province, contributing a quarter of the nation’s wheat output. While the timing for sowing winter wheat aligns with Hanlu, this year the optimal sowing period is expected to be slightly later than usual. The Henan Meteorological Bureau suggests a slight delay in the ideal winter wheat planting window based on the developmental progress of autumn crops and historical sowing timelines.

Currently, efforts to ramp up wheat planting are in full swing. The Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued technical guidelines covering wheat sowing, variety selection, pest control, and scientific fertilization for the upcoming 2024 yield. They’ve also organized 18 teams of wheat experts to collaborate closely with local technicians and farmers, ensuring that best practices for planting are followed.

“We plan to start sowing winter wheat on the 12th. For our 8,000-acre wheat field, we’ve already prepared 600 tons of fertilizer and 100,000 kilograms of seeds, along with more than ten tillers and seeders. Once we get going, we’ll be working around the clock—tilling at night and sowing during the day,” Ma added.