Over 40 percent of winter wheat crops harvested across China

Over 40 percent of winter wheat crops have been harvested in major wheat growing regions across China, faster than the same period of last year, according to farming monitoring data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and data of satellite remote sensing by the National Satellite Meteorological Center.

The 2.56 million mu (about 170,752 hectares) of wheat in Taizhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province has reached maturity. As of Tuesday evening, the city had harvested 1.768 million mu (about 117,926 hectares), representing 66.4 percent of the total.

Large-scale mechanized operations have accelerated the harvesting progress, making it 31 percentage points faster than the same period of last year.

"Before the harvest began, we contacted agricultural machinery service providers for deployment of over 200 units of harvesting machinery. In addition, we also contacted all the 27 grain drying facilities in the town to ensure that every grain is collected and promptly dried," said Luo Youjing, a senior agronomist at the rural affairs office of Chenpu Town in Taizhou.

The 315,000 mu (about 21,010.5 hectares) of wheat in Xiaxian County, north China's Shanxi Province has also gradually entered the harvest season. The county has resorted to advanced agricultural machinery to improve harvesting efficiency, with operators driving combine harvesters through the wheat fields to complete cutting, threshing and straw crushing in one go.

"[The harvester] can harvest one mu (about 0.067 hectare) of wheat in just five to six minutes. It's really fast, and the harvesting quality is also excellent -- quick and efficient," said Wang Huanzhen, a farmer in Nanguo Village of Xiaxian County.

The wheat acreage in Shanxi's Yuncheng City amounts to 4.328 million mu (about 288,677.6 hectares) this year, and mechanized harvesting is now already underway. It is expected that the city will enter the peak season of wheat harvest on June 10, with harvesting largely completed by June 20.

The mechanized harvesting of 2.14 million mu (about 142,738 hectares) of wheat in Zaozhuang City, east China's Shandong Province is now progressing in full swing.

The city has applied a system of entrusted management of farmland to consolidate scattered plots into larger and contiguous areas for centralized and unified management. This approach has enabled fully mechanized, standardized and regulated farming throughout the entire crop growing process, significantly reducing production costs and improving productivity.

"We have over 10,000 mu (about 667 hectares) of farmland under our entrusted management in Yicheng District. We have deployed 20 harvesters so far in the current harvest season and have completed harvesting approximately 2,000 mu (about 133.4 hectares) of wheat crops. The crops on remaining fields are expected to be fully harvested within three to five days," said Zhao Yantang, director of Zaozhuang Lugong Yinong Agricultural Services Company.

Over 40 percent of winter wheat crops harvested across China

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests