FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
- Favourable prospects for 2010 winter crops.
- Lower cereal imports estimated in 2009/10 (July/June) due to recovery in cereal production.
Bumper production expected for 2010 winter cereal crops
Harvesting of 2010 winter wheat and barley crops is underway and production prospects are very positive. Abundant precipitations from September 2009 to March 2010 in most of the country have provided ample moisture for crops establishment and growth. In addition, wheat and barley planted area in 2010 increased by about 300 000 hectares following the attractive wheat prices offered by the state-owned General Establishment for Cereals Trade and Processing (HOBOOB) and the recent introduction of a new levy on barley imports. Precipitation ended in April, about a month earlier than usual, increasing irrigation requirements for late-filling grain crops and accelerating crop maturation and dry down. Early estimate of aggregate wheat and barley production in 2010 is put at a bumper level of 5.5 million tonnes. This compares with 4 million tonnes of wheat and 850 000 tonnes of barley in 2009.