Wheat Harvest Begins Across 2.2 Million Mu in Dengzhou, Henan

May 21, 2026 — The summer wheat harvest has officially started in Dengzhou, a major grain-producing city in Henan Province, marking the beginning of the “Three Summers” farming period across the Central Plains.

On May 20, harvesters entered the fields in Ruzhuang Village, Luozhuang Town, as the first batch of wheat was cut. This year, Dengzhou has a wheat planting area of 2.2 million mu, with crops ripening earlier than in most parts of Henan due to local climate conditions.

Although last autumn’s continuous rainfall delayed sowing by 15 to 25 days, agricultural authorities adopted targeted measures including improved seed selection, increased planting density, balanced fertiliser application, and enhanced pest and disease control.

“One spray, three protections” and other field management practices effectively turned weak seedlings into strong plants, ensuring overall growth close to previous years.

Smart farming technologies support large-scale, efficient harvesting. Dengzhou’s agricultural big data platform uses satellite remote sensing and AI modelling to map ripeness across 27,000 mu of high-standard farmland, helping arrange machinery in advance.

The city currently has over 2,300 combine harvesters, with more than 4,500 units expected to operate at peak times.

As the first region in Henan to start reaping, Dengzhou’s harvest will progress northward across the province, where a total of 85 million mu of wheat is set to be harvested in the coming weeks.

Farmers and authorities are prepared for timely harvesting and drying before forecasted rainfall, securing another stable summer grain output in China’s “granary of the Central Plains.”