EGYPT (7 October)
Harvesting of the 2005 irrigated wheat crop was completed in July, and output has provisionally been estimated at 8.18 million tonnes, well above the past five-year average of 6.7 million tonnes. The increase is due to the combination of an estimated 15 percent increase in wheat plantings and the favourable climatic conditions that benefited crops at planting and during growth.
Harvesting of the maize crop is well advanced, while that of paddy is due to start soon. Maize production is officially forecast to decline to 6.25 million tonnes, due to a decrease in area planted. By contrast, early forecasts of irrigated paddy point to an above-average crop of 6.4 million tonnes.
Reflecting the anticipated good wheat output, wheat imports in marketing year 2005/06 (July/June) are expected to decrease from 7.8 million tonnes last year to about 6.6 million tonnes. Imports of maize, mostly used as animal feed, are forecast at about 5 million tonnes, about 100 000 tonnes more than the previous year.