BEIJING -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Tuesday it has taken emergency measures to secure the autumn grain harvest in the major grain-producing region between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River.

Persistent rains have significantly slowed harvest progress in the region, particularly in Henan, Shandong and Anhui provinces.

In response, the ministry has established a dedicated team to prioritize the dispatch of farm machinery and provide technical support for equipment modifications in an effort to secure the autumn harvest.

As of now, 244,300 tracked harvesters and 1,986 mobile dryers have been allocated and deployed to the region.

The ministry said its next step involves close coordination with the eight provinces of the region — Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Shaanxi — to arrange further machinery dispatch based on the evolving situation.