FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 10/00 - AFGHANISTAN* (18 September)
The severe food supply difficulties due to drought have been exacerbated by the recent escalation of conflict, particularly in northern parts of the country. Displaced people continue to arrive in Herat city from the droughtaffected areas of Ghor Province, at a rate of 30 to 50 families per day totalling about 1500 families in early September. Conflicts in drought-affected areas of northern Takhar have also triggered massive displacements.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply assessment Mission which visited the country from earlier in the year found that total cereal production in 2000, estimated at 1.82 million tonnes, is about 44 percent below 1999 and 53 percent compared to 1998. Cereal import requireme nts in the 2000/01 (July/June), estimated at a record high level of 2.3 million tonnes, are more than double the 1999 volume of 1.1 million tonnes. With estimated commercial cereal imports of about 1 million tonnes, some 31 percent higher than the estimate for last year, a huge deficit of about 1.3 million tonnes is forecast. WFP emergency food aid, in pipeline and pledged, amounts to 225 000 tonnes, leaving an uncovered gap of over 1.0 million tonnes.
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