FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/98 - PHILIPPINES (25 November)
The combined effects of El Niņo and La Niņa are reported to have severely damaged the country's rice and maize production. Typhoon Zeb and Babs, which came within days of each other, damaged about 650 000 tonnes of paddy in Luzon, the country's rice bowl. The overall paddy output in 1998 is now forecast to reach only 8.99 million tonnes, down from the previous forecast of 10.8 million tonnes. Maize output is similarly expected to fall by as much as 9 percent to about 3.9 million tonnes compared to last year.
Government reports indicate that this year's rice imports are expected to reach up to 2.2 million tonnes. The country's rice stocks, including imports, are expected to be about 2 million tonnes by the end of 1998.
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