CHINA CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA/NOAA Light, scattered showers covered winter wheat areas in the North China Plain in the week ended March 14, moistening topsoils for wheat, just breaking dormancy in most central and northern areas, the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility of the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce Departments said. In its International Weather and Crop summary, the agency said southern winter wheat areas are in the early vegetative stage. Above-normal February temperatures over the North China Plain caused winter grains to break dormancy early in the south. Moderate to heavy rains in southern Jiangsu, Anhui, eastern Hebei, Hunan , Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zheziang, reversed February's below normal precipitation pattern. The agency said the wet weather in these areas provided ample moisture for rice planting and lessened the need for irrigation. Mostly dry weather in early-rice areas of Guanxi and Guandong resulted in irrigation for continued rice planting, it said.