China,riceproductionisanimportantpartofthenationaleconomy.Asearlyas4,000B.C.,theChinesestartedricecultivationwhichlatergraduallyspreadallovertheworld.Atpresent,Chinaistheworld'slargestproducerofrice,producing26%oftheworldriceoutput.ThericecropinChinagrowsprimarilyinprovincesalongtheYangtzeRiverandIntheSouth.RiceisanimportantstaplefoodforChinese,particularlythesoutherners.Inaddition,ricecanbeusedtomakewineandsugarandusedasindustrialmaterials.