Attachments
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
- Favourable production prospects for 2025 main cereal crops
- Cereal output in 2024 estimated at well below-average level
- Above-average cereal import requirements estimated in 2024/25 marketing year
- Prices of rice slightly lower than elevated year-earlier levels in March 2025
Favourable production prospects for 2025 main cereal crops
Harvesting of the 2025 main paddy crop is underway and will conclude in July, while harvesting of the maize crop finalized in April. Precipitation amounts during the rainy season, which extends from December to April, were average to above average and generally well distributed throughout the country, benefitting planting operations and crop development. As of mid-April 2025, remote sensing data showed above-average vegetation conditions in most cropping areas, with favourable yield expectations (VCI map).
Sowing of the 2025 minor off-season maize crop is underway under generally favourable weather conditions, while sowing of the off-season paddy crop will take place in June. Weather forecasts indicate a high likelihood of average to above-average precipitation amounts between May and July 2025 across most of the country, providing conducive conditions for planting operations and early development of both off-season crops.
Cereal output in 2024 estimated at well below-average level
The 2024 cropping season finalized last January and the aggregate cereal production, mostly rice and maize, is estimated at 132 000 tonnes, almost 20 percent below the average. The low output is due to below-average plantings and yields on account of dry weather conditions during the cropping season associated with the El Niño event.
Above‑average cereal import requirements estimated in 2024/25 marketing year
About 60 percent of the country’s total cereal consumption needs are covered by imports, mostly sourced from India, China (mainland) and Viet Nam. Cereal import requirements in the 2024/25 marketing year (April/March) are estimated at well above-average 210 000 tonnes, due to the reduced production obtained in 2024 and increasing domestic demand in line with population growth.
Prices of rice slightly lower than elevated year-earlier levels in March 2025
Domestic retail prices of rice, the country’s main staple, generally declined during the last quarter of 2024 and remained stable between January and March 2025, with the commercialization of the 2024 off-season harvest and reflecting international price trends. As of March 2025, prices were about 5 percent below their elevated levels a year earlier.