No rice for Olympics

BEIJING – Rice farmers have been told to stop growing China’s staple crop in areas near Beijing to ensure the water supply for next year’s Olympic Games, officials said yesterday.

Rice growing requires large supplies of water and eight years of drought have left the Chinese capital desperately short of supplies, they said. “We know Beijing is a big city with a serious shortage of water,” said Bi Xiaogang, vice director of Beijing’s water management bureau.”We have urged farmers to change some of the crops that need a lot of water, like rice.”He gave no details about the number of farmers nor the area of rice paddy affected, but said the farms were located around a reservoir north of the capital on which Beijing relies for much of its water.Nampa-Reuters”We know Beijing is a big city with a serious shortage of water,” said Bi Xiaogang, vice director of Beijing’s water management bureau.”We have urged farmers to change some of the crops that need a lot of water, like rice.”He gave no details about the number of farmers nor the area of rice paddy affected, but said the farms were located around a reservoir north of the capital on which Beijing relies for much of its water.Nampa-Reuters