Shanghai, Feb 9 - China has completed technical preparations to introduce rice futures and may do so around March this year, the official China Securities Journal reported on Monday.
The newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange had tested electronic systems for the futures and had submitted a proposal to the China Securities Regulatory Commission, which would need to approve the start of trade.
Hunan Jinjian Cereals Industry Co has agreed to have one of its subsidiaries participate in establishing warehouse stocks for the futures, the newspaper added.
It quoted unnamed analysts as saying the launch of the futures might be delayed if a drought hitting northern China spread into the south, damaging rice crops there.