How Do You Confuse A Chinaman?

Tell him the truth of course!

China's 2010 rapeseed harvest (which is grown mainly in the south of the country, parts of which have been badly hit by drought this year) may fall below 10 MMT according to Shanghai JC Intelligence Co. That would represent a drop of around 25% on last year's crop of 13.2 MMT.

Not so say the official China National Grain & Oils Information Centre, rapeseed production will "only" fall by between 800,000 MT to 1 MMT, according to them.

They also optimistically add that wheat production this year will be “basically flat” at around 110 MMT.

Have you spotted the trend yet?

"Basically flat at around 110 MMT" means "basically down around 5 MMT". See how easy it is just to lose the odd five million here and there without anybody noticing? And that is if we "basically accept" that what they are saying is true of course and not "basically a pack of lies".