CHILE (15 February)
Harvesting of the 2003 crop has been recently completed and output collected is provisionally estimated at an average 1.5 to 1.6 million tonnes. A higher estimate had been earlier forecast, but the crop was affected by excess humidity and lower yields obtained. Planting of the 2003 maize crop has been also completed and the area planted is officially estimated at 96 790 hectares which shows an increase over the 87 270 hectares sown in 2002. The increase in plantings is due to attractive prices to producers. Harvesting is about to start and an above-average output is forecast. The area planted to barley increased with respect to that of the previous year but still remains below average. Above-average plantings of oats are also reported for 2003.
Wheat imports in marketing year 2002/03 (December/November) are forecast to remain at 300 000 tonnes, similar to the level in marketing year 2001/02. Imports of maize in 2003/04 (February/January) are early forecast at 1.1 million tonnes.