Extreme heat in China threatens corn and soybean harvest

Extreme heat and a lack of rainfall are posing growing risks to China’s agricultural sector. Authorities have warned that prolonged high temperatures could reduce yields of corn, rice, soybeans, and cotton during a critical stage of crop development. The greatest concern is focused on northern China, where much of the country’s field crop production is concentrated.

In Shandong Province, which accounts for about 10% of China’s corn production, temperatures are expected to reach 35–38°C in the coming days. Meanwhile, temperatures in parts of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have already climbed to 50°C, creating significant risks for the cotton crop. High humidity is adding to the problem by increasing the spread of crop diseases and pests.

According to Chinese meteorological authorities, many crops are currently at the flowering and grain-filling stages, when they are most vulnerable to heat stress. Farmers have been urged to increase irrigation and adopt additional crop protection measures. However, the government has not yet released any official estimates of crop losses.

Weather conditions could become even more challenging in the coming weeks. Forecasters expect not only continued heat but also heavy rainfall, flooding, and typhoons, while excessive rainfall in southern China is already increasing the risk of rice diseases.

As China is one of the world’s largest importers of grains and oilseeds, any decline in domestic production is being closely monitored by global agricultural markets. If harvests fall short of expectations, China could increase imports, providing support to international grain and oilseed prices.

Experts say increasingly frequent heatwaves are becoming a long-term challenge for Chinese agriculture. More frequent droughts and extreme temperatures are driving investment in heat-tolerant crop varieties, expanded irrigation systems, and improved early warning systems for weather-related risks.