Nearly 79.7 million mu (5.31 million hectares) of crops have been affected by major flooding from typhoons and storms, and damage from droughts caused huge losses, Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the flooding season wreaked havoc to 2.26 million hectares of crops, and making another 502,000 hectares fruitless.

Wei Chaoyang, vice minister of agriculture said China had entered the critical period for its early-season rice harvest, but the flooding imposed huge losses and also great challenges to the growth of autumn harvest crops.

Wei ordered agricultural departments of all levels to work with geological, water resources, and oceanic departments to closely watch for weather changes and deliver prompt forecasts and warnings.

The ministry is to send officials and agricultural professionals to the areas affected to help with farmers' crop planting.

(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2008)