ECUADOR (12 May)
Dry weather from December to February affected the development of the winter paddy crop. Harvested area decreased from 250 000 hectares in the same season in 2003 to 210 000 hectares in 2004, due to both reduced plantings and planted area lost. As a result of some delay in the harvest, which started at the end of April, and reduced availability of rice in local markets, the price has increased significantly. The Ministry of Agriculture expects that the situation will normalise when the bulk of the production will be harvested at the end of May. Paddy production in year 2004 is forecast to be below an average 1.2 million tonnes. Harvesting of the 2004/05 marketing year first (main) season maize crop is about to start and prospects are below average as plantings were affected by dry weather, especially in the coastal main growing area of Los Rios. Reduced soil moisture is expected to have a negative impact also on the small summer second maize crop to be planted from May. Maize import requirements for marketing year 2004/05 (July/June) are expected to increase considerably from last year's 370 000 tonnes to some 450 000 tonnes. Wheat imports in marketing year 2004/05 (July/June) are forecast to increase from 475 000 tonnes in the previous year to some 500 000 tonnes.