China, Largest Wheat Grower, Facing Threat of Drought

China, the world’s largest wheat producer, is contending with severe drought in the main region growing winter varieties of the grain, adding to concern about food supply at a time of record global prices.

Rainfall has been “substantially” below normal in the North China Plain since October, with a thinner cover of snow that protects plants against frost, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report today. That may harm the crop scheduled to be harvested in June, the FAO said.