In the EC, wheat output in 2001 is estimated at 92 million tonnes, more than 12 percent lower than the previous year, due to reduced area and adverse weather at planting time. Output of coarse grains remained virtually unchanged from 2000 at 109.6 million tonnes. Early indications for the 2002 winter cereals point to a significant recovery in the wheat area by about 10 percent. Although overall planting conditions were reported to be below average, they were considerably improved compared to the previous year and crops are generally in good condition. Large increases in plantings are reported particularly in France and the United Kingdom after last year�s reduced outputs. Paddy production rose in the EC in 2001, with improved crops in Italy, Portugal and Spain, more than offsetting a contraction in France and Greece. Although planting of the 2002 crop will not start until April-May, the drought that is affecting the northern rice producing regions of Italy (the Community�s largest producer) may lead to a smaller crop next year, if availability of irrigation water remains short.
Prospects for the winter cereal crop (mostly wheat) are satisfactory and normal production is expected. Winter conditions are reported to be particularly harsh this winter in some northern mountainous areas. Government food reserves and WFP food aid has been mobilized for distribution to the worst affected people.
Grain harvest in 2001 amounted to 5.2 million tonnes compared with about 5 million tonnes the previous year. The 2001 grain harvest included 0.8 million tonnes of wheat, 1.7 million tonnes of barley and 1.6 million tonnes of rye. Winter planting campaign has been completed under favourable conditions. However, much depends on later winter frost and the level of precipitation.
Cereal import requirements for 2001/02 marketing year are estimated at 706 000 tonnes, which is slightly below the previous year�s import estimates of 734 000 tonnes. Cereal imports in 2001/02 comprised of 550 000 tonnes of wheat, 65 000 tonnes of barley, 40 000 tonnes of maize and 29 000 tonnes of rye. The source of imports are mainly the CIS countries.
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA* (1 February)
Cereal production in 2001 was estimated at 1 million tonnes, which is slightly above the drought reduced harvest in the preceding year. Last year�s harvest included 269 000 tonnes of wheat, 640 000 tonnes of maize and 55 000 tonnes of barley. The reduced harvest in 2001 was due to May floods and hail in the northern regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the adjacent areas of Republica Serbska. Cereal import requirement in 2001/02 marketing year is estimated at 290 000 tonnes, including 100 000 tonnes of food aid.
Good snowfalls during the winter so far have improved prospects for the winter crops, providing protection from low temperatures and also ensuring better moisture availability for spring development after prevailing dry conditions in the past two seasons. Despite the excessively dry conditions in the autumn, the area sown to wheat and barley for the 2002 harvest is officially reported to have increased by about 8 percent from the previous year to 1.4 million hectares, although germination rates were reported to be sub-normal in parts.
Cereal harvest in 2001 amounted to 3.1 million tonnes, which is about 450 000 tonnes higher compared with 2000. Cereal production in 2001 included 912 000 tonnes of wheat, 2 million tonnes of maize and 165 000 tonnes of barley, which compares to 929 000 tonnes of wheat, 1.5 million tonnes of maize and 151 000 tonnes of barley in the previous year. Cereal exports this year are seen at about 320 000 tonnes, which includes 170 000 tonnes of maize and 150 000 tonnes of wheat. This year winter cereals have been planted to a comparable area sown in 2001.
In the Czech Republic latest information suggests that the winter wheat area has probably declined as a result of the particularly wet conditions during the autumn sowing period. However, the overwinter weather for the dormant grains is reported to have been generally satisfactory so far.
Grain production in 2001 is estimated at 579 000 tonnes, which is about 124 000 tonnes lower than the harvest in 2000. Grain harvest in 2001 comprised of 131 000 tonnes of wheat, 284 000 tonnes of barley, 85 000 tonnes of oats and 41 000 tonnes of rye. Cereal import requirement for the 2001/02 (July/June) is estimated at 247 000 tonnes, which is slightly more than the previous marketing year�s reports and includes 140 000 tonnes of wheat, 60 000 tonnes of maize and 30 000 tonnes of barley.
FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA (6 February)
After two years of predominantly dry conditions, indications of increased precipitation this winter point to a likely improvement in soil moisture reserves and some recovery in cereal yields in 2002.
The winter grain area is tentatively estimated to be similar to the previous year�s level and about the average of the past five years. The wheat area is put at 1.1 million hectares compared to 1.2 million hectares for the 2001 harvest. Winter conditions are reported to be generally satisfactory as good snow cover has protected crops from cold winter temperatures.
Grain harvest in 2001 totalled 894 000 tonnes from an area of 420 000 hectares, which is similar to the 2000 production and area under grains. Output in 2001 included 390 000 tonnes of wheat, 260 000 tonnes of barley and 120 000 tonnes of rye, which compares with the 2000 harvest of 400 000 tonnes of wheat, 255 000 tonnes of barley and 130 000 tonnes of rye. This year, similar area to 2001 has been seeded to winter cereals and winter kill seems to be minimal with a high proportion of cereal crops in good condition.
Lithuania harvested about than 2.5 million tonnes of grains in 2001, which compares with 2.6 million tonnes in 2000. Last year�s harvest included 780 000 tonnes of wheat, 1 million tonnes of barley and 480 000 tonnes of rye. During the 2001/02 marketing year, cereal exports are estimated at about 130 000 tonnes, mainly wheat (100 000 tonnes) and rye (20 000 tonnes), while cereal import requirement is estimated at 61 000 tonnes. Area sown to winter cereals this year is similar to the preceding year while winter crops are reportedly in good conditions.
Grain harvest in 2001 at 2.7 million tonnes was about 825 000 tonnes in excess of the harvest in the preceding year and nearly 898 000 tonnes higher than the average harvest of the past five years. The 2001 output included 1.4 million tonnes of wheat, 1 million tonnes of maize and 269 000 tonnes of barley. The country remains a net importer of grains, mainly food grade wheat (20 000 tonnes) and some rice (6 000 tonnes).
Early information indicates that the winter grain area is down from the previous year, largely in response to poor price prospects. Weather conditions are reported to be generally satisfactory with a good cover of snow protecting dormant crops from this winters particularly cold temperatures.
Winter snowfall has improved conditions for the winter grain crops, which were planted into very dry soils last autumn. Despite the dry conditions, the total area of winter grains is reported to be just slightly down from that in the previous year. Under conditions of drought, winter crops give better returns than spring ones so farmers preferred to go ahead with an almost normal winter planting. On current indications, however, yields will likely be down this year because of poor germination associated with the earlier dry conditions and the fact that a lot of the crop was planted after the optimum sowing date.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION (1 February)
Grain harvest in 2001 was estimated at nearly 85 million tonnes compared with about 65 million tonnes in 2000. Higher yields, lower winter-kill and a small increase in area were the main reasons for higher production in 2001. This included 47 million tonnes of wheat, 19 million tonnes of barley, 6 million tonnes of rye and 8 million tonnes of oats. Maize production declined to about 830 000 tonnes in 2001 compared with 1.5 million tonnes in 2000 due to prolonged hot and dry weather in July/August and rainy weather in October.
Most of the winter cereals were planted before the harsh winter frost could damage large areas of crops. The government plans to increase area sown to winter cereals, in particular wheat and barley, by about 10 percent compared with 2001. Therefore, it is likely that winter cereal harvest this year will be at least as high as the harvest in 2001.
Cereal exports in 2001/02 marketing year are estimated at more than 4 million tonnes while cereal imports are estimated at about 2.8 million tonnes. In 2000/01 marketing year, Russia imported about 2.6 million tonnes and exported 1.2 million tonnes of cereals. Despite a record high cereal production since the Soviet era, exports have not increased proportionately due to increased non-food domestic consumption of cereals and lack of port facilities to handle large quantities of cereals. Cereal exports this year includes 2.5 million tonnes of wheat and 1.5 million tonnes of barley, while imports include 1.2 million tonnes of maize, 900 000 tonnes of wheat, 250 000 tonnes of barley and 150 000 tonnes of rye.
Civil strife and military operations in Chechnya continue to disrupt normal life and agricultural activities. WFP and some international NGOs continue to provide supplementary food and non-food assistance to internally displaced and most vulnerable populations in the North Caucasus. WFP plans to distribute emergency food aid to 310 000 beneficiaries in Ingushetia and Chechnya. This emergency programme, which started on 1 January 2001 is expected to continue until 30 June 2002 by then about 65 000 tonnes of food aid would have been distributed to about 270 000 internally displaced and food insecure vulnerable people.
Weather condition for the over-wintering grain crops are reported to be generally satisfactory and normal production is expected in 2002.
Conditions are satisfactory for the winter grain crops and normal production is expected.
Grain harvest in 2001 is estimated at about 39.7 million tonnes, which compares with only 25.4 million tonnes in 2000. Last year�s production included 21.3 million tonnes of wheat, 10 million tonnes of barley, 3.6 million tonnes of maize and 1.8 million tonnes of rye. The significantly higher production is mainly due to higher yields, and some increase in area under wheat.
Contrary to earlier reports, cereal winter-kill have been minimal so far this year and the crop conditions in many parts of the country are reportedly good. While late November and December frost had raised fears of a significantly large winter-kill, official estimates now indicate that winter cereal harvest may not be significantly lower than the good crop of last year.
Cereal exports in 2001/02 marketing year are estimated at 7.4 million tonnes, compared to 1.7 million tonnes in the previous year. This year�s exports have been boosted partly by lower tariffs on Ukrainian cereals in the EU.
YUGOSLAVIA, FED. REP. OF (SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO)* (5 February)
Cereal harvest in 2001 totalled 8.8 million tonnes compared with the drought and conflict affected harvest of 5.2 million tonnes in 2000. Cereal harvest last year included 2.9 million tonnes of wheat, 5.5 million tonnes of maize and 303 000 tonnes of barley. Given the current estimated domestic utilization and production, cereal exports for 2001/02 marketing year are estimated at 700 000 tonnes, including 400 000 tonnes of wheat and 300 000 tonnes of maize.
The country had planned to sow about 1 million hectares to winter crops, including 750 000 hectares to wheat. However, rainy weather conditions in late September and early November hampered the sowing campaign; as a result, the expected increase in cropped area has not been fully achieved. Provided sufficient seeds and fertilizers are available and favourable weather conditions prevail, a good harvest is in prospect.
WFP has extended its emergency food assistance programme, which will continuously phase out by December 2002. WFP currently assists some 575 000 beneficiaries, of which 215 000 are refugees and 360 000 social cases. The social cases will be phased out from the combined programme by mid-2002.