Henan drought-affected farmers are cutting wheat ahead of schedule, agricultural departments: disaster relief funds will be used for irrigation and well digging.

Henan, as the largest wheat-producing region in China, has experienced rapid development of drought since April. According to the news release on the National Disaster Reduction Day in 2025 in Henan Province on May 12th, by April 19th, over 40% of the counties in the province had experienced severe meteorological droughts. The three rounds of rain since April 20 have partially alleviated the drought situation in the south, but severe meteorological droughts still exist in most parts of western, central, and northern Henan, as well as some areas in the east and southwest. Luoyang, located in the western part of the province, has been heavily affected by the drought, resulting in increased irrigation costs. Some farmers have spent thousands of yuan to irrigate just over ten acres of land. The drought has caused the wheat to mature early, forcing some farmers to harvest prematurely. "Whether the local wheat will decrease in yield still needs a comprehensive evaluation, which is related to factors such as the extent of the drought, irrigation conditions, and future weather changes," said Hu Zhaorong, a professor at China Agricultural University. In response to the drought, various counties in Anyang City have used disaster relief funds for irrigation, well digging, and dredging canals.