SHANGHAI - China will likely harvest 182.5 million tons of corn this year, up 2.96 percent from a year earlier, according to the latest estimate by an official think-tank, lifting the production forecast slightly from its estimate in July, Reuters reported.

The China National Grain and Oils Information Centre (CNGOIC) also said 2011 soybean output was expected to fall 10.5 percent from last year to 13.5 million tons.

CNGOIC said last month that corn output was expected to rise to 181.5 million tons, while soybean production would fall 7.9 percent to 14 million tons.