The harvesting of the winter grain crops, mainly wheat and barley, is virtually over. Aggregate 2002 cereal production is estimated at about 1.8 million tonnes, some 32 percent lower than the bumper 2001 output and slightly below the average for the previous five years. Rains in March and April were too late to adequately improve the growing condition of the crops previously affected by recurring drought. Production of wheat is currently estimated at 1.6 million tonnes, about 400 000 tonnes less than last year while barley output, estimated at some 0.17 million tonnes, was only one-third of last year’s above-average outturn.
Imports of cereals, excluding semolina, in 2001/2002 (July/June) are estimated to have declined by some 165 000 tonnes to 6.6 million tonnes. As a result of the below-average crop recently harvested, cereal imports (mainly wheat and maize) in the year ending June 2003, are forecast at some 7 million tonnes.