China is expected to see its grain yield decrease this year as farmers reach production limits and the country shows signs of cheaper imports, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a government forecast. The China National Grain and Oils Information Center, a state grain-policy think tank, projected rice output may dip 0.7% to 202.8 million metric tons—the first time since 2003 that China would harvest less than the year before. China, the world’s largest consumer of rice, is also the world’s largest producer, accounting for a quarter of global output. But analysts say Chinese production has come under pressure as more land is claimed for industrial purposes and people continue to leave the countryside for city.
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