In the northwestern Shaanxi province of China, the impacts of a severe drought are evident in the wheat fields of Maqiao village. Combine harvesters create clouds of dust as they move through the parched landscape, yet the mood among farmers is far from celebratory.
Zhou Yaping, a local farmer with over 20 years of experience, faces dire circumstances. She anticipates harvesting only half of her usual yield of 1,000 kg from her two-thirds of an acre plot, as some of her crop remains unfixed and green.
“I’ve never seen a drought this bad,” she lamented during a visit in late May. The drought has severely affected parts of China’s wheat belt, particularly in Shaanxi and Henan provinces, where persistently hot and dry conditions have turned the soil into cracked slabs.
Tragically, these extreme conditions have scorched crops before they could fully ripen. Shaanxi recorded its highest average temperatures since records began in 1961 last month, heightening concerns among farmers.
Although official harvest figures are still weeks away, numerous farmers reported significant losses, with some anticipating yields drop by as much as half. In response to the drought, a number of farmers opted to bring their harvest forward by a week.
Recent rainfall has brought some relief, but it also poses a threat to those who delayed their harvests. At this stage, it remains uncertain whether the drought will lead China to increase its wheat imports.
Such a scenario could benefit growers in countries like Australia, which are anticipating ample end-of-season stocks due to declining Chinese import demand. Rosa Wang, from Shanghai agro-consultancy JCI, noted that while the drought’s impact has been significant in areas with poor irrigation, the overall reduction in wheat output is not expected to be substantial.
As of May 30, approximately 60% of the wheat crop in Henan and over 20% in Shaanxi had been harvested, according to state news reports. However, conditions are inconsistent across these agricultural regions.
In Henan, farmer Ma has managed to maintain his output thanks to irrigation on his 50-acre farm. In contrast, other farmers like Zhang in Zhumadian have reported serious challenges, with yields down 40% due to the extreme heat, similar to their experiences during last year’s floods.
Zhang expressed frustration, stating that after accounting for costs, they are left with little to no profit.