Nationwide power outage hits Lebanon amid extreme heat wave
Lebanon experienced a nationwide power outage from midnight on Sunday, officials reported, as authorities work to restore electricity across the count...
A devastating drought gripping parts of China’s key wheat-growing regions has severely cut harvest yields for many farmers, raising fresh concerns about agricultural resilience in the world’s largest wheat producer.
In Shaanxi and Henan provinces, where the dry spell has been particularly harsh, farmers report significant reductions in output. In the village of Maqiao, near the historic Terracotta Warriors site in Shaanxi, fields lie parched under record-breaking heat. Zhou Yaping, a 50-year-old farmer with more than two decades of experience, expects her wheat yield to drop by half. “I’ve never seen a drought this bad,” she told Reuters during a visit in late May.
Early Harvest, Lower Yields
The extreme heat and arid conditions forced some farmers to harvest their crops a week earlier than usual, in a desperate attempt to salvage what remained. Official figures on the harvest won’t be available for several weeks, but anecdotal reports from over a dozen local farmers suggest that losses of 30% to 50% are common in affected areas.
Last month, Shaanxi recorded its highest average temperatures since 1961, with the sun baking the soil into cracked slabs and prematurely drying out wheat heads before they could mature. While recent rainfall brought temporary relief, it also disrupted harvesting operations for those who delayed collection.
Mixed Impact Across Regions
The drought’s effects have varied across China’s vast wheat belt. Farmers with access to irrigation infrastructure, particularly in Henan province, reported stable yields. A farmer surnamed Ma in Xinxiang, who operates a 50-acre farm, said his crop performed well thanks to irrigation.
However, others were less fortunate. In Zhumadian, another Henan farmer named Zhang said his wheat yield was down 40%, matching the losses he suffered during 2023 floods that led to crop disease. “After covering the costs of seeds, harvesting, and ploughing, we just break even with little to no profit,” he said.
Trade and Market Outlook
Despite the widespread damage in some regions, analysts say the overall national wheat output may not decline drastically. “The drought has had a significant impact on wheat yields in areas with poor irrigation infrastructure, but the overall reduction in output is not expected to be substantial,” said Rosa Wang of Shanghai-based agro-consultancy JCI.
It remains unclear whether China will need to ramp up wheat imports to cover domestic shortfalls. Lower imports in recent months have left exporters like Australia with higher-than-usual wheat stocks. However, tepid demand and adequate national reserves may curb China’s appetite for additional foreign grain in the near term, traders noted.
According to Xinhua News Agency, as of May 30, approximately 60% of wheat in Henan and 20% in Shaanxi had been harvested.
Climate Risks and Resilience
This year’s drought underscores the increasing vulnerability of China’s agriculture sector to climate extremes, which have ranged from flooding in 2023 to this year’s historic heat. The experience has also renewed calls for investment in irrigation systems and drought-resilient crop varieties to ensure food security amid growing environmental instability.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the conflict in Gaza will end once Hamas is disarmed and hostages are freed, unveiling a five-point plan for the territory’s future while accusing international media of spreading “Hamas lies.”
On 10 August, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan has described the joint peace declaration signed with Azerbaijan in Washington as “historic” and an opportunity to advance normalisation with Türkiye.
More than 100,000 people filled the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand the nearly two-year Gaza war, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages.
President Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to the United States featured high-level talks, landmark agreements, and a historic peace signing, marking a turning point in Azerbaijan’s relations with Washington and the wider South Caucasus.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment