"China cuts 2019/20 corn use forecast by 2 million tonnes due to African swine fever"

Following up on "U.S. Farmers Stung by Tariffs Now Face a $3.5 Billion Corn Loss", immediately below.
From Reuters:

China’s agriculture ministry on Thursday said it was lowering its forecast for corn consumption in the 2019/20 crop year amid outbreaks of African swine fever across the country.

The ministry said corn consumption was now seen 2 million tonnes lower than last month’s forecast at 280 million tonnes because a huge fall in the pig herd was reducing demand for feed. African swine fever is fatal to pigs, though it doesn’t harm humans.

China has said its sow herd declined by a record 23.9% in May from a year earlier, but some estimate the number to be twice that level....MORE

 Some more of the complexity of figuring out this year's agricultural market.
I joke about Harbin:

Meanwhile in Harbin

Have I mentioned I have an odd fascination with Harbin China?
From Peoples Daily:

Brrr! Tourists wear funny animal-like hats to withstand the cold in Harbin, Northeast China's #Heilongjiang province, on Feb 12, when temperatures fell as low as -22C pic.twitter.com/338jMremlV

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) February 15, 2019

But it goes beyond the fact Harbin is the coldest big city (sorry Moscow) in the world:

"China Is Facing Food-Supply Crisis, Notable Challenges to Regime’s Ambitions"

Okay, time to fess up.
I've mentioned I have a strange fascination with the city of Harbin China,
And I've mentioned part of the reason is it is so darn cold. Which is true.
But the other reason is it is the largest city in Heilongjiang province which, of the 22 mainland provinces (they claim Taiwan is #23) is the largest producer of corn in the country and at just under 1/5 of China's total production is a world-class resource....

And:
"China’s ailing rust belt struggles to shake off reliance on state support"