FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
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Erratic rains characterise the start of the 2011/12 agricultural season
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Drop in rice production in 2010/2011
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Despite improved food security conditions in southern regions, increasing prices are expected to aggravate conditions
Start of 2011/12 season characterised by mixed rains
Planting of the main rice crop is almost finalised. Erratic rainfall during the first three months of the 2011/12 agricultural season (October-December) resulted in water deficits in far northern and western regions while average to above average rains were received in the main rice producing regions in north-central parts of the country.
The cyclone season has just begun and in early January a moderate tropical storm, Chandra, caused some localised flooding in western regions. Information on damages is not yet available.