FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 06/01 - CROATIA (4 June)
The early outlook for the 2001 cereal harvest is mixed. After the drought-reduced output last year, precipitation has been adequate for the winter cereal crops to date but soil moisture reserves are not yet fully recharged. The 2001 wheat harvest, sown on an area of 215 000 hectares, is officially forecast at between 0.95 and 1.0 million tonnes, somewhat higher than last year’s 929 000 tonnes and above average. The area being sown to spring crops will be somewhat lower than last year’s, reflecting planned reductions in sunflower, sugarbeet and barley. The maize area is targeted to increase marginally to 386 000 hectares, from 379 000 hectares in 2000 to help replenish maize supplies after the drought reduced harvest in 2000 of only 1.3 million tonnes, compared to 2.1 million tonnes in 1999. Despite the poor harvests and a tight supply situation, maize is being exported to neighbouring Bosnia Herzegovina. The country annually needs some 650 000 tonnes of wheat, leaving an exportable surplus. Releases of wheat from the state reserves have throttled back domestic price rises for this commodity.