FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 04/00 - ALGERIA (5 April)
Prospects for the 1999/2000 winter crops, to be harvested from May, are uncertain. Prolonged dry weather has prevailed over grain growing areas since mid-January, resulting in spotty crop emergence and stunted plants. Particularly affected are crops in central and western areas while growing conditions are relatively better in the east. Moderate showers in mid-March over some areas provided much needed relief. However, more rain is needed for the remainder of the growing season to avert further decline in yields.
Indications are that this year's harvest will be below the 1999 cereal crop which, estimated at about 2 million tonnes, was some 30 percent below the previous year's harvest and below average. Cereal import requirements for the 2000/01 marketing year (July/June), mostly wheat, are likely to exceed the current year�s estimated requirement of 6 million tonnes.
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