FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS 
Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture Foodcrops and shortages
Global Information and Early Warning System on food and agriculture
No.5
November 2001

HIGHLIGHTS

AFRICA: In eastern Africa, the food situation in Somalia is rapidly deteriorating due to a poor harvest, the lowest in the last seven years. Elsewhere in the sub-region, notwithstanding an improved overall food supply situation, pastoralists continue to rely on food assistance due to prolonged drought. In southern Africa, emergency food assistance is to be provided in parts of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique where food shortages are emerging following a poor harvest. Elsewhere, food assistance continues to be necessary in DRC, Angola, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone due to past or ongoing civil strife.

ASIA: In Afghanistan, recent escalation of conflict and military action have displaced large numbers of people exacerbating the already grave food crisis. In DPR Korea, despite substantial production recovery this year, domestic production remains below minimum food needs. In Cambodia, several provinces have been affected by floods, damaging the main rice crop, while in Sri Lanka drought has seriously affected crop production in the south. In the CIS, food shortages persist in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, while the food supply situation remains tight in several other central Asian countries.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: In Central America and the Caribbean, prospects are favourable for second season crops following abundant rains in September and October. However, increasing unemployment in the coffee sector and violent storms at the end of the hurricane season make recovery from the recent drought difficult. Tropical storm 'Michelle' caused localized floods in Central America and the Caribbean, while other hurricanes hit mainly Belize and Cuba. In south America, harvest prospects are favourable following increased plantings compared to last year.

EUROPE: Weather conditions for winter grains planting have been generally favourable throughout the EC. Grain production in the CIS west of Urals, in particular in Russia and Ukraine, has sharply recovered from a shrinking agricultural sector in the 1990s. However, winter planting activities have been affected by bad weather conditions in Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Russia.

NORTH AMERICA: Winter wheat planting is virtually complete in the United States, but crop conditions are reported to be poor reflecting exceptionally dry conditions in many parts. In the United States, 2001 wheat production fell further by 12 percent below 2000 and coarse grains output was also down by about 4 percent. In Canada, rain and cool weather delayed the 2000 harvest and wheat and coarse grains output is estimated to be below average and down somewhat from last year.

OCEANIA: In Australia prospects for the winter cereal crops are generally favourable but output could fall slightly further from last year, remaining below the average of the past five years. In the Cook Islands, abnormally dry weather in recent months has stressed crops.


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