Searing temperatures and drought in parts of China are adversely impacting summer planting, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.

Temperatures in parts of China are forecast to scale record highs this week, prompting alerts and actions from authorities to minimise impacts on agriculture, and water and energy supplies, while countries across Asia also brace themselves for another severe summer.

In some parts of the wheat growing provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong, temperatures could reach 44° Celsius, potentially breaking historical records for the month of June, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

The agriculture ministry said in a statement that high temperatures have accelerated soil moisture loss.

“The drought may continue to develop,” it said, making “the task of drought resistance and summer sowing arduous.”

The ministry said it has sent out several work groups to seven provinces to offer guidance in the fight against drought, including Shandong where wheat harvest is underway.

China’s national forecaster predicted continuous heat wave conditions and warned about the need to prepare for emergency power supplies and fire prevention in forest areas, the People’s Daily reported.

Rain, not heat, is the threat in southern China. Coastal Fujian’s provincial observatory raised a warning for wet weather and potential disasters after forecasting heavy rainfall until Saturday.