China is expected to grow 22.9 to 23 million hectares of wheat this year, up 4.5 to 5 percent from last year, according to the statistics from the Zhengzhou Grain Wholesale Market.

Experts attributed the increase to the supportive government policies and the recent enthusiasm of farmers for growing wheat. The central government released a notice this March, saying it would set the lowest protective price for wheat purchase.

Statistics show that nearly all major wheat-growing regions have increased their crops. East China's Shandong Province grew 3.2 million hectares of wheat, up 3.2 percent, while north China's Hebei Province has 2.3 million hectares of wheat, up 4.5 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2004)