The 2002 small grain harvest was complete ahead of normal by the end of July, reflecting the long summer drought, which brought plants to maturity early. Preliminary estimates put the wheat output at 3.9 million tonnes, down from over 5 million tonnes last year. However, although the drought had a significant impact on crop yields, the percentage of good quality grain is reported to be much higher than normal. The summer maize crop is now forecast at 6 million tonnes, down from 7.8 million tonnes last year, also reflecting the expected effect on yields of persisting dry conditions, as the area planted is estimated to have changed little from last year.