In Maqiao village, just an hour from the famed Terracotta Warriors, combine harvesters kick up dust as they work through parched wheat fields—a stark sign of the relentless drought gripping China’s northwestern Shaanxi province. But for farmers like Zhou Yaping, 50, this year’s harvest brings little joy.
“I’ve grown wheat for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen a drought this bad,” Zhou told Reuters in late May. Her two-thirds of an acre plot, which usually yields 1,000 kg of wheat, is expected to produce only half that amount, with some crops still tinged green from incomplete ripening.
The drought has scorched fields across Shaanxi and Henan provinces—key regions in China’s wheat belt—leaving soil cracked and crops stunted. Last month, Shaanxi recorded its highest average temperatures since 1961, forcing some farmers to harvest a week early to salvage what remained.
While official data won’t be released for weeks, more than a dozen farmers reported yield losses of up to 50%. Recent rains brought some relief, but for those who delayed harvesting, the downpours risked further damage.
Mixed Impact Across Regions
- Henan province, China’s top wheat-producing region, saw 60% of its crop harvested by May 30, per state media.
- Some well-irrigated farms, like a 50-acre plot run by farmer Ma in Xinxiang, maintained steady output.
- But in Zhumadian, farmer Zhang harvested 1.65 acres a week early, with yields down 40%—similar to 2023’s flood-driven losses. “After costs, we barely break even,” he said.
Market Implications Unclear
China holds ample wheat reserves, and weak demand has kept imports low. However, if the drought worsens, higher imports could benefit suppliers like Australia, which has large stockpiles due to reduced Chinese buying.
“The drought hit yields in areas with poor irrigation, but the overall output drop may not be drastic,” said Rosa Wang of Shanghai’s JCI consultancy. Still, for small-scale farmers like Zhou, the losses are devastating—another blow in a year of extreme weather.