MADAGASCAR (6 June)
The 2004/05 agricultural season began with normal rainfall in September-October, followed by above average precipitation tapering off earlier than usual in April. The area planted to paddy is reported to have increased in response to high rice prices at planting time. As a result a preliminary estimate of production points to a record paddy harvest of about 3.4 million tonnes in the country. In anticipation of this favourable harvest, according to some reports, rice prices have dropped from about $1/kg from the peak of the rice crisis (around December-January) to about $0.5 in early May. In the usually dry south, Toliary province received heavy rains in early January. This was followed by much reduced precipitation in February and March. Consequently, maize harvest is expected to be about normal.
Reportedly more than 75 percent of Madagascar's 16 million people live below the poverty line of US$ 1 a day. A recently released report by the Early Warning System showed that about 3 000 tonnes of food will be needed to feed 105 000 people in the upcoming lean season (December 2005-April 2006). A four-year aid package of US $110 million was officially signed on 18 April under the US program of Millennium Challenge Corporation to help boost the country’s agricultural production.