Planting of the winter cereal crops, mainly wheat and barley, has started for harvest in the spring 2003. Aggregate cereal production in 2002 has been a low 515 000 tonnes, which compares to last year’s average production of 1.4 million tonnes. Wheat output decreased from 1.1 million tonnes in 2001 to 423 000 tonnes, while barley production dropped from 233 000 tonnes to 90 000 tonnes. The decline was principally due to the prolonged dry weather and late arrival of the rains.
Wheat imports are expected to increase from 1.2 million tonnes in marketing year 2001/02 (July/June) to some 1.8 million tonnes in 2002/03. Imports of barley are also expected to increase, while maize should remain close to the same volume imported in the previous year.