PERU (12 May)
Plantings of paddy have been affected by insufficient rains in the northern highlands and by reduced reservoir levels (about 70 percent of their normal capacity) in the northern main growing areas of La Libertad, Lambayeque and Piura. Unofficial sources estimate 2004 paddy output at 1.8 million tonnes, with a reduction of about 20 percent compared to the record crop of the previous year. Although some recovery is expected during the year due to increasing plantings in the Andean department of San Martin, rice import requirements in marketing year 2004 are expected to increase significantly from 16 000 to 100 000 tonnes. The bulk of the plantings of yellow maize crop has been completed. Due to the negative impact of the drought, output (yellow and white maize) for the whole year 2004 is expected to be about 1.3 million tonnes, with a significant reduction from previous year’s record crop of 1.5 million tonnes. Import requirements in marketing year 2004/05 (July/June) are estimated at 1.4 million tonnes of wheat and 800 000 tonnes of maize (mostly yellow for the feed industry).