MEXICO (1 June)
Under hot and dry weather conditions, harvesting of the 2005 important irrigated winter wheat crop is well advanced in the northwest main growing areas. This season’s production is provisionally estimated at 2.8 million tonnes, well above the 2.2 million tonnes obtained the previous year that was affected by a severe drought in the main producing northern state of Sonora. Harvesting of the winter maize crop planted at the end of 2004 is also underway and output is estimated at 5.7 million tonnes, very similar to previous year’s good result. Dryness accelerated maturation of and drydown of winter sorghum crop which is mainly cultivated in north-eastern state of Tamaulipas. Winter sorghum production is estimated at 2.4 million tonnes, about 25 per cent below the same season’s output in 2004 as a consequence of reduced plantings in February-March. Dry weather conditions dominated major grain areas from the central plateau to the northeast during the months of April and May and the later-than-usual arrival of the summer rainy season caused some delay in planting operations of spring/summer maize and sorghum crops. Due to an expected increase of 10-12 percent in planted area, early official forecasts point to an aggregate 2005 maize production (fall 2004/05 and summer 2005) of 23.5 million tonnes. Sorghum output is instead forecast to remain stable to 2003 level of about 7 million tonnes. Imports in marketing year 2005/06 (July/June) are expected to be about 5.0 million tonnes of maize, 3.6 million tonnes of wheat and 3.3 million tonnes of sorghum. Rice imports in 2005 are estimated at more than 500 000 tonnes.