Corn output reaches record high

China's corn production last year hit a record 144 million tons, 3.3 percent more than in 2005, the National Grain and Oil Trade Center said yesterday.

The main reason for the record output was the good weather during the later stages of cultivation in Northeast China.

The crop was grown on 27.1 million hectares last year, nearly a 3 percent increase over 2005, the center said, and forecast that it could be grown on 27.4 million hectares this year.