Drought in Northeast China Continues to Spread, Some Farmland in Jilin Has Lost All Crops

Currently, this is a critical period for the formation of autumn grain yields in Northeast China, and the continuously developing drought is very unfavorable to crop production and development. Fighting the drought to protect autumn grain brooks no delay. The reporter learned from the video conference on drought relief and autumn grain protection in Northeast China recently held by the Ministry of Agriculture: At present, the drought in Northeast China is spreading. Liaoning, Jilin and Inner Mongolia are relatively severely affected by drought, while Heilongjiang is less affected. Among them, some drought-affected fields in Liaoning have withered, and some drought-affected fields in Jilin have lost all crops.

From July 1 to August 12, average rainfall in Liaoning was 93.8 millimeters, 60% less than the same period in normal years and 70% less than the same period last year, the lowest for the same period since complete meteorological records began in 1951. The affected crops are mainly corn, with western Liaoning suffering the most severe damage. Some farmland in Dalian, Huludao, Chaoyang and other places faces total crop loss.

The latest satellite remote sensing monitoring data in Liaoning Province show that farmland drought in the province is mainly distributed in Shenyang, Dalian, Anshan, Huludao and other areas, with a drought area of about 30.1 million mu. According to forecasts by meteorological departments, precipitation in mid-to-late August will still be relatively low, and the drought range will further expand. If summer drought turns into a combined summer-autumn drought, agricultural production will be greatly affected.

Since late July, rainfall in Jilin has continued to be relatively low. The province's average precipitation was 39.4 millimeters, 65% less than the same period in normal years, ranking second-lowest for the same period in history. The low precipitation has led to severe drought in some areas. As of August 13, the province's drought-affected crop area was 18.33 million mu, with 1.21 million mu totally lost. It is expected that in the coming days, the drought area will further expand and the severity of the drought will continue to increase.

Since mid-July, Inner Mongolia has experienced high temperatures and little rain, with precipitation in many places hitting a new low for the same period since 1961, with precipitation more than 70% below normal. As of the end of July, the region's drought-affected crop area was 18.95 million mu.

Since early August, signs of drought have appeared in Heilongjiang, with average precipitation in the province nearly 50% below normal, and drought has already appeared in 12 counties and cities.

The drought in Northeast China touches people's hearts. “When the Northeast has a good harvest, the whole country has enough food.” Northeast China is China's major granary. The autumn grain output of the four provinces (regions) accounts for 1/3 of the country's autumn grain. If grain production in Northeast China is stable, the country's grain supply will be stable. If grain production in Northeast China increases, the supply of commercial grain will be guaranteed.

Drought relief in Northeast China is in full swing. Liaoning's provincial finance department urgently allocated 70 million yuan in drought relief funds, and on August 11 raised the drought emergency response level from Level IV to Level III. As of August 12, the province had invested a cumulative 290 million yuan, mobilized 1.663 million people for drought relief, started 198,000 electric and mechanical wells, put into use 246,000 units of mobile drought relief equipment, completed drought relief on 6.604 million mu, and temporarily resolved drinking water difficulties for 271,600 people and 53,800 large livestock.

Jilin, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang have also acted urgently, holding meetings to deploy agricultural drought relief and disaster relief, formulating drought relief measures, and making every effort to manage autumn grain fields and provide drought relief technical services. In order to fight drought and protect the autumn harvest, officers and soldiers of the Jilin Provincial Border Defense Corps of the Armed Police and local residents jointly formed more than 30 “drought relief and autumn harvest protection service teams” fighting on the front lines of drought relief.

“The 15th day of the seventh lunar month determines drought or flood; the 15th day of the eighth lunar month shows the harvest.” Zeng Yande, director of the Planting Industry Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that judging from agricultural situation scheduling, this year's national conditions are slightly lighter than the same period in previous years, and the total drought-affected crop area is slightly less than the same period in previous years. At present, the drought in Northeast China is spreading, and it is necessary to follow up in a timely manner, make good judgments and come up with countermeasures.

Yu Xinrong, vice minister of agriculture, said at the video conference on drought relief and autumn grain protection in Northeast China that drought relief and autumn grain protection must be taken as the primary task of current agricultural production, and a wave of drought relief and autumn grain protection must be quickly launched. As long as the drought is not lifted for a single day, drought relief will not stop for a single day, so as to minimize the losses caused by drought.