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China suffers worst drought in 60 years
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Minimal rainfall or snow this winter has crippled China's major agricultural regions, leaving many of them parched. Crop production has fallen sharply, as the worst drought in six decades, shows no sign of letting up.
Shandong province has seen only 12 millimeters of rain since last September, fifteen percent of the normal level.
Despite more than 4-thousand pumping stations continuing to supply water, the situation is severe.
More than half the 4 million hectares of land used for growing wheat have been hit by drought.
Special funds are now being allocated to combat the situation.
Liu Xunming, Farmer of Shandong Province said "Drilling the well costs five thousand yuan. We paid two thousand. The rest was paid by the government."
Also unable to shake off the dry season is Central China's Henan province.
Similar to Shandong, it has seen its lowest rainfall in almost sixty years. Around 1.4 million hectares of land are waiting to be watered.
The local government has dispatched technicians to rural areas, to provide expert consultation for irrigation schemes.
Guo Linying, Agro-Technician, Henan Province said "When you apply flood irrigation, try to keep it slow so that the water can infiltrate into the soil. Try not to overdo it."
The unusual drought has even hit some places that traditionally enjoy a humid climate.
The northern part of Jiangsu province, have seen a sharp drop in rainfall this winter.
Land is drying out, and the crops are dying.Many in the area, are now suffering a temporary drinking water shortage - which must come as something of a shock, in an area that rarely experiences such problems.
