China harvests more than half of winter wheat

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Wheat is harvested in Yuncheng, North China's Shanxi province,?June 11, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - The Ministry of Agriculture said Sunday that 55 percent of the country's winter wheat has been harvested with the help of an abundant supply of agricultural machinery.

Chinese farmers have gathered about 200 million mu (13.3 hectares) of winter wheat, with more than one million people harvesting crops in China's central and northern provinces, according to the ministry.

The ministry expected that 510,000 combine harvesters will be in use for this year's summer harvest, exceeding last year's machinery supply.

More than 90 percent and 80 percent of winter wheat in the major wheat growing provinces of Anhui and Henan have been reaped, respectively, according to the ministry.

The ministry has also urged local authorities to pick up the harvesting pace and ensure the diesel supply for reaping machines, in order to cope with the complicated summer weather that might hamper harvesting.