Land is being prepared for planting of the 2002/03 first season cereal and bean crops to be started with the arrival of the first rains in April/May. The area planted is forecast to increase from last year’s drought affected plantings. Paddy production, the main cereal, in 2001 was below average and imports of rice in marketing year 2002 (January/December) are thus expected to increase to some 65 000 tonnes from some 55 000 tonnes imported in 2001. This reflects the strong domestic demand for this important staple in the population’s diet.
Normal to above-normal rains are reported in March in the western and central parts of the country, except for parts in the central province of Cienfuegos, while generally below-normal rains have prevailed in the rest of the island. The absence of adequate rains have affected the developing winter paddy crop which is about to be harvested. Harvesting of the important foreign exchange earner sugar cane crop continues and is expected to end in May. Production is officially forecast at 3.6 million tonnes which compares to 3.5 million tonnes collected in 2001.
Land is being prepared for planting of the 2002/03 first season cereal crops to be started with the arrival of the seasonal rains in late April or early May.
Planting of the 2002/03 first season maize and sorghum crops has started while harvesting of this year’s main paddy crop is due to start from May. An above-average paddy output is anticipated.
Wheat and maize imports in marketing year 2002/03 (July/June) are tentatively forecast at 320 000 tonnes and 700 000 tonnes respectively, similar to the volume of imports in 2001/02. The relatively large amount of maize imports is required to meet the strong demand from the poultry feeding industry.
Preparation for planting of the 2002/03 first season cereal and bean crops has started under generally normal weather conditions. Sowing should start with the arrival of the first rains which are forecast by end-April. Production is expected to recover from last year, when the crops were severely affected by a prolonged drought. The food security situation is tight at the moment and is likely to continue until the first season crop harvest in August. The possibility of alternative employment in rural areas is minimal. Food assistance to some 10 000 drought-affected families should continue until August. In addition, some 16 500 families, victims of last year’s February earthquakes, are still receiving food assistance from the international community.
Land is being prepared for planting of the 2002/03 first season cereal and bean crops to be started with the arrival of the first seasonal rains by end-April. Production from last year’s first season crops was seriously affected by drought, but some recovery took place due to the good second season crop outturns. However, the food supply situation continues to be tight in several of the most affected areas, where food assistance from the international community is still being provided. About 88 out of 102 most affected municipalities have been selected for assistance In total, about 155 000 people are being assisted, of whom about 60 000 are children suffering from malnutrition. The situation is also difficult for a large number of unemployed and low paid workers from coffee plantations as a result of the crisis affecting the industry caused by the fall in international coffee prices.
Planting of the 2002/03 rainfed maize and sorghum crops has started under rather dry weather conditions, while sowing of the important irrigated paddy crop is underway. An average area planted is intended for maize and paddy respectively. Food assistance from the international community continues to be distributed through development projects to most needed groups, mainly in the poorest areas in the north and north-west of the country, which has been particularly affected by the dry weather and where prices of important staples (bananas, beans and maize) are reported to have gone up.
Land is being prepared under generally dry weather for planting of the 2002/03 first season cereal and bean crops to be started from late April with the arrival of the first seasonal rains. Production is expected to recover from last year, when the first season crops in particular were affected by severe drought. The food supply situation is expected to remain tight until the start of harvesting operations of the first season crops, which should take place from August. Assistance from the international community has been provided to some of the hardest stricken groups in the most drought affected departments of Choluteca, Francisco Morazán, Intibuca, Valle, El Paraiso, Comayagua and El Paraiso, in the south.
Harvesting of the 2002 irrigated wheat crop is about to start in the main growing areas of the north west, including the states of Sonora, Sinaloa and Baja California. The outlook is good and an average output of some 3.2 million tonnes is tentatively forecast. Land is being prepared under favourable weather conditions for planting of the important spring/summer maize crop in the large producing states of Jalisco, México, Michoacá, Chiapas and Puebla, where the bulk of the crop is grown. Plantings are expected to increase from last year’s satisfactory level mainly as a result of the support given by government programmes to farmers.
Land is being prepared for sowing of the 2002/03 first season cereal and bean crops to be started with the expected arrival of the first seasonal rains in late April. A recovery in overall production is anticipated, following the below-average outturns of last year when the main crops (first season crops) were affected by a severe prolonged drought, and the second season crops by the heavy rains and flooding caused by hurricane “Michelle”in November. The food supply situation is nevertheless expected to continue to be tight for the drought affected rural families until harvest of the first season crops, to be started from August. The situation is aggravated by the high number of unemployed and low paid workers from coffee plantations, critically affected by the fall in international coffee prices.