Year's grain output to exceed 510 m tons

China expects an increase in grain output for the fifth consecutive year, with production to exceed 510 million tons, the State grain information center said.

"We estimate that this year's harvest will be 511.5 million tons, up more than 10 million tons from 2007," the center's vice-director Yang Weilu was quoted as saying by China Securities Journal yesterday.

Rice production will be 185.49 million tons, up 1.01 million tons from last year, while wheat will increase 2.64 million tons to 109.86 million tons, the center said.