Official reports indicate that northern parts of the country continue to be affected by a serious drought, which has already seriously reduced maize production this year. Drought conditions are expected to continue into next spring. It is officially estimated that some 33 million hectares have been affected in these parts of the country. About 4.5 million hectares of this are not expected to yield any output and to remain unsuitable for further planting this year.
The revised estimate of maize production is now put at 105 million tons, some 10 million tons lower than earlier forecast. This is about 18 percent lower than last year and 2 percent below the average of the preceding five years. Aggregate grain output, including tubers and roots, is officially forecast to be between 482 million to 499 million tons this year, compared to over 504 million tons in 1996.
Overall, the food supply situation is favourable with satisfactory stock levels in the country, following a bumper crop harvest last year and a large winter wheat crop this year.