China CNGOIC keeps '09 wheat, rapeseed output unchanged

BEIJING, June 12 - An official Chinese grain think-tank kept its forecast for the country's wheat and rapeseed output unchanged from last month in its latest forecast issued on Friday. Chinese farmers will complete harvesting the crops this month.

China, the world's largest wheat producer and consumer, is expected to harvest 107.2 million tonnes of winter wheat this year, a rise of 0.2 percent from 2008, the China National Grain and Oils Information Centre (CNGOIC) showed on Friday.

China's total wheat output in 2009 is estimated to grow 0.6 percent to 113.2 million tonnes, it said.

The agricultural ministry said that farmers have finished harvesting 66.9 percent of winter wheat.

The centre also kept its 2009 rapeseed output unchanged at 13 million tonnes. Agricultural minister expected a record rapeseed harvest this year.[ID:nPEK97080]

The centre has revised up output figures of last year's wheat and corn harvest to be in line with figures of the National Bureau of Statistics. Paddy output in 2008 was revised down. (The centre's previous forecasts were in brackets).

A detailed breakdown of output figures were shown below: (production in millions of tonnes)

2009* 2008# 2007# Wheat 113.2 112.46 (112.50) 109.30 of which winter wheat

107.20 107.00 103.54 Corn 163.00 165.91(165.50) 152.30 Paddy 193.18 191.90(193.00) 186.03 of which

Early-season rice 31.98 31.58 ( 31.58) 31.52

Mid-season rice 125.20 125.62 (126.02) 121.01

Late-season rice 36.00 34.70 ( 35.40) 33.51 Soybean 15.00 15.50 ( 15.50) 12.73 Rapeseed 13.00 12.10 ( 11.80) 10.57

* Estimated figures.

# Figures of the National Bureau of Statistics.

China spot grain prices can be found on .