MONGOLIA* (18 February)
The main staple cereal food crops grown in the country are wheat and barley but the latter is only 1 percent of the wheat output. Despite an increase in the area planted, last season’s unfavourable growing conditions (i.e. less than 50 percent of normal rainfall and high temperatures) seriously affected yields. The wheat crop harvested in September last year is estimated at 159 000 tonnes, higher than drought affected previous year but 25 percent less than the average crops harvested in the early 1990s. Production of potatoes and other vegetables is also reported to be much below normal. Last year a severe drought which affected 70 percent of the country, was followed by early snowfall in December heralding another harsh winter.
This year extreme winter weather, the dzud as it is called in Mongolia, following the drought during the previous summer months, has reportedly threatened livelihood of 665 000 people. According to the Mongolian Red Cross and the State Emergency Commission up to 2.5 million animals are expected to die before the next spring for lack of sufficient fodder.
To cover domestic consumption needs of cereals in the marketing year ending in September 2003 the country will have to import 220 000 tonnes of wheat, 13 000 tonnes of rice, and 5 000 tonnes of maize. The country has a serious balance of payment problem, thus commercial imports will only cover part of this requirement and food aid allocations will be necessary to meet the uncovered needs.