China introduces 2-meter high 'giant rice'

Xia Xinjie, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences institute of subtropical agriculture (ISA), checks rice growth in Jinjing Township of Changsha County, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 16, 2017. A new kind of rice that can grow to a height of 2.2 meters has been introduced to China, the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture (ISA) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced Monday. With the average height of more than 1.8 meters, the yield of the "giant" rice is expected to surpass 11.5 tonnes per ha, 15 to 20 percent more than ordinary rice, said the ISA. (Xinhua/Li Ga)