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Syria

GIEWS Country Brief: Syrian Arab Republic 9-February-2011

Attachments

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

- Despite a yellow rust outbreak, 2010 winter cereal crop production was at good level.

- Lower cereal import requirements forecast in 2010/11 (July/June).

- High food inflation rate from mid-2010

Late onset of rainy season delay planting of 2011 winter crops

Planting of the 2011 winter cereal crops, to be harvested from May/June, has been recently completed. Seasonal rains started late at the beginning of December with negative impact on crop establishment. Despite some losses due to a yellow rust infestation that especially affected yields of soft wheat varieties in north-eastern province of alHassakeh, aggregate cereal production in 2010 is estimated at good level of 4.75 million tonnes, similar to the 2009 output and about 4 percent above last five years average.