The western parts of the country were hit by Hurricane “Isidore” on 21-22 September. The heavy rains and flooding affected food and important cash crops as well as inflicting damage to housing and infrastructures. Nearly 300 000 people have been evacuated into temporary shelters. An assessment of damage has not yet been made available.
Normal to abundant rains have been registered since August, although low moisture levels are being reported in some isolated locations. In general, the state of the crops is satisfactory. Harvesting of the 2002/03 first season cereal crops, mainly maize and paddy, is underway and average outputs of 146 000 tonnes and 281 000 tonnes respectively are tentatively forecast. Cereal production is insufficient to meet domestic demand and rice imports between 470 000 and 480 000 tonnes would be required in marketing year 2003 (January/December), while imports of maize in marketing year 2002/03 (July/June) should be close to the previous year’s volume of about 267 000 tonnes. Harvesting of the important sugar cane crop has been completed and production is officially estimated at 3.6 million tonnes, slightly above the relatively low output in 2001.