China Races to Secure Corn Harvest After Heavy Rains Rot Crops

Epic rains in northern China have disrupted the harvest and left crops rotting in the fields, pressuring grain supplies at a time when trade relations are fraying and imports have shrunk.

Top corn-producing provinces including Henan and Shandong have endured the longest and heaviest rainy season in six decades, according to the National Climate Center. The northern region accounts for at least 30% of China’s total production of the grain, but some fields are too soaked to harvest, according to state media. And there’s a risk that corn already gathered could turn moldy.