FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/01 - SWAZILAND (6 November)
Dry weather in the first dekad of October was followed by normal to above normal precipitation in the remainder of the month, which provided adequate soil moisture for planting of the 2002 cereal crops, mainly maize.
Cereal production in 2001 was estimated at 77 000 tonnes, close to last year's poor harvest, but some 33 percent below the previous five year average, due mainly to a mid-season dry spell and a heat wave. As a result, the food supply situation is expected to remain tight until the end of the 2001/02 marketing year (April/March). The import requirement is estimated at 123 000 tonnes, and is expected to be covered entirely by commercial imports. However, food assistance may be needed by the most affected households, particularly in the Middle and Lowerveld provinces.