ReliefWeb

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• 2014 cereal production close to last year’s record level

• Record cereal exports expected in 2014/15 marketing year (July/June)

• Domestic cereal prices at high levels in October

• Serious food security concerns in eastern part of Ukraine

2014 cereal production close to last year’s record level

Harvesting of the 2014 cereal crops (mainly wheat, maize and barley) was completed recently. FAO’s latest estimate puts the 2014 wheat production at 24.3 million tonnes, 10 percent up from last year’s above-average level. The good output mainly reflects near-record yields, following favourable weather conditions during the cropping season, which more than offset a slight contraction in planted area. Similarly, the 2014 barley output is estimated by FAO to increase by 24 percent compared to last year to 9.4 million tonnes. The 2014 maize output, is estimated at 26 million tonnes, some 15 percent below last year’s record level, as yields are estimated to have returned to average from last year’s high levels. Overall, total cereal output in 2014 stands at 61.8 million tonnes, close to last year’s record crop and some 25 percent above the previous five-year average.

Planting of winter cereals is currently underway after dry weather in the first half of October delayed field operations. According to preliminary estimates, as of early November, some 7.3 million hectares were sown under winter crops, including 6.3 million hectares of wheat, which is slightly above last year’s same season’s level.