Planting of the 2002/03 short season “vuli” crops in the bi-modal northern areas is underway. The 2002 total cereal production (maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and millet) at 4.3 (milled basis) million tonnes, is about 10 percent above last year’s harvest due to favourable rains. Similarly, production of non-cereal crops (pulses, potatoes, cassava and plantains) is reported to be good.
The overall food situation remains satisfactory with increased on-farm stocks and market supplies. However, current wholesale prices for maize in major maize producing regions (including Rukwa, Mbeya, and Iringa in the Southern Highlands, and Dodoma in central Tanzania) were higher this month than the previous five-year average. Also, on some other markets such as Kilimanjaro and Tanga (northern Tanzania), wholesale prices for maize have already started to rise at earlier dates relative to their five-year average trends.
WFP distributed over 3 900 tonnes of food in end-October to early-November to almost 529 000 refugees in Ngara, Kibondo, Kasulu and Lugufu camps.