FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 06/01 - MOZAMBIQUE (8 June)
Harvesting of the 2001 cereal crops is complete. An estimate of production is still not available. However, preliminary indications point to a maize output around or slightly above last year’s good crop of 1 million tonnes. This reflects an increase of 10 percent in the area planted and generally favourable rains in the main growing areas, despite localized floods.
Torrential rains in January and February, as well as high levels of the Zambezi River, resulted in severe floods in central provinces of Zambesia, Sofala, Manica and Tete. About 77 000 hectares of foodcrops were lost to the floods. Outside the flooded areas, the excessive rains are likely to have resulted in yield reductions. In main growing northern provinces, abundant and well distributed rains favoured cereal crop development and a good output is expected. By contrast, in southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, a prolonged mid-season dry spell in January severely reduced yields of maize and bean crops. In these provinces, which were the worst affected by floods last year, food production is anticipated to be poor for the second consecutive year.
Overall, a satisfactory 2001 cereal production is expected. Cassava production is also anticipated to be good. Reflecting the arrival of the new harvest onto the markets, maize prices have declined in the main markets, and are below their level of a year ago.