China Heads for Bumper Grain Harvest After Summer Output Tops 150 Million Tonnes

China says it is on track for another bumper grain harvest in 2026 after summer grain output exceeded 150 million tonnes for the first time and autumn crop acreage expanded.

Official National Bureau of Statistics data put summer grain production at 150.75 million tonnes, up 0.7 percent from 2025. Wheat accounted for 138.95 million tonnes, also increasing from a year earlier.

Early rice output reached 28.29 million tonnes, keeping production above 28 million tonnes for a sixth consecutive year despite heavy rain and typhoon damage in parts of southern China.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said autumn crops, which make up the largest share of China's annual grain production, are now being harvested with a larger planted area and a notable increase in high yielding crops, particularly corn.

The outlook matters internationally because China is simultaneously one of the world's largest grain producers and one of its largest importers. Changes in domestic harvests can alter demand for corn, wheat, soybeans and feed ingredients across global markets.

China has continued investing in high standard farmland, crop varieties and machinery as it seeks to stabilise domestic food supply and reduce vulnerability to volatile international markets.

The government has not yet published final 2026 annual grain output. Autumn harvest performance will determine whether the full year total exceeds the 714.88 million tonnes produced in 2025.

For commodity markets, a strong Chinese grain crop would strengthen domestic supply at a time when import demand is already uneven across several feed commodities, while weather and harvest quality remain important variables through the final stages of the season.