Attachments
Overview
In northern East Africa, a delayed and below-average start to the Belg rains is impacting the start of the season in Ethiopia. In the south, there is concern for planting and development of main season cereals in most areas due to early season dry conditions that are forecast to continue during March to May. In West Africa, planting for the 2025/26 main cropping season is expected to begin in March. In the Middle East & North Africa, expanding dry conditions are causing concern for wheat in most areas, and significant production declines are expected in Morocco and northwestern Algeria. In Southern Africa, significant rainfall improvements since January have improved cropping prospects in parts of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. However, pockets of dry conditions remain in some areas, and poor rainfall outcomes are expected to degrade overall yield prospects in some main producing areas of South Africa. In Central & South Asia, conditions remain mostly favourable for winter wheat crops in the dormancy stage. In Southeast Asia, wet-season rice planting is nearing completion in the south while dry-season rice harvesting is just beginning in parts of the north. Recent high precipitation amounts have been generally conducive for cropping prospects, except in Brunei and parts of the Philippines where heavy rains could reduce yields. In Central America & the Caribbean, land preparation for the Primera season is ramping up, and planting will commence in April. Conditions in Haiti and Cuba have been upgraded to favourable despite last month's concerns regarding potential impacts from heavy rainfall and extreme events experienced in late 2024.