Police investigate suspected herbicide damage to soybean field in northeast China

(ECNS) - Police in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province have launched an investigation after a farmer alleged that about 1 hectare of his soybean seedlings were deliberately damaged by herbicide spraying, according to official documents and statements from the parties involved.

Farmer Zhang Baohe said around 1 hectare of the 1.33 hectares of soybeans he planted had withered, leaving only the crops along the edges of the field intact.

He told the media he suspected the damage was intentional and estimated losses based on roughly 7,000 yuan ($975) in input costs and expected revenue of more than 10,000 yuan.

A neighboring corn farmer, surnamed Gai, said the herbicide may have drifted into Zhang's field because of winds while he was spraying his own crops.

Gai said he was willing to compensate Zhang for any proven losses but disputed the claimed extent of the damage.

(By Zhang Jiahao)