FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/01 - CAMBODIA (6 November)
Adequate rainfall benefited the crops in late September. Relief efforts are going on in the southern part of the country in Svay Rieng, Takeo and Kompot affected by floods in August. Some 500 000 of the flood affected people in the southern and western parts of the country are reported to be in need of assistance.
Latest estimates suggest that 14 400 hectares of rice seedlings for the wet season crop have been lost due either to the drought in July with the lowest precipitation levels for the last 30-40 years, or heavy flooding during August. According to official estimates, a total of 114 000 hectares, of which 104 000 hectares were under rice, have been affected by this year�s floods.
The main wet season paddy crop is harvested from late November and contributes around 80 percent of the total rice production in the country. Rice is the main food crop as it accounts for around 84 percent of total food crop production while the remainder comes from dry season production.
Despite the damage in the flood affected areas and assuming favourable weather conditions for the remaining period of wet season paddy crop, this year�s aggregate cereal production is estimated at around 2.8 million tonnes (rice on milled basis) which is above last year�s above-average production of 2.7 million tonnes and is also above the last five-year average of 2.4 million tonnes.
The country has received around 26 000 tonnes of cereals, mainly rice, from the international community in food aid in the calendar year 2001.
In response to the recent floods FAO has provided emergency assistance with rice seeds for the up-coming planting season.