Ministry of agriculture to probe hybrid rice

Yuan Longping, left, the father of hybrid rice in China, checks a rice field in this 2013 file photo. [Photo/asianewsphoto]

Chinese agricultural authorities are planning an investigation, following the failure of a hybrid rice variety in Anhui.

It's being reported some 650-hectares of rice fields in Anhui have failed.

The company behind the project, Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture, is blaming abnormal weather conditions.

It says low temperatures and heavy rains last year led to the crop failure.

Agricultural scientist and company founder Yuan Longping, widely dubbed the "father of hybrid rice", contends the situation in Anhui shouldn't be viewed as a complete failure of GM rice.

Production of the variety in-question has been suspended by the company.

Hybrid rice accounts for around one-third of the strains in China's rice-growing area.