COLOMBIA (30 May)
Normal to abundant rains, principally along the Caribbean coastal areas and in the northwest, have favoured planting of the 2003/04 first season cereal crops currently underway. The intended area planted to wheat is forecast to be similar to the previous year’s 17 000 hectares.
Planting of the 2003 first (main) maize crop has started. Plantings, as well as expected yields, are tentatively forecast to increase slightly from the average level reached in 2002. Harvesting of the 2003 irrigated paddy crops in the central department of Tolima and northwestern department of Cordoba has been recently completed. The other important paddy crop, the rainfed paddy crop grown in the eastern plains of Los Llanos, is harvested towards the end of the summer. Aggregate paddy output in 2003 is tentatively forecast at a slightly above-average 2.4 million tonnes.
Food assistance from the international community continues in various parts of the country to the internally displaced population, the victims of the civil strife which for long is affecting the country.
Wheat imports in marketing year 2003 (January/December) should increase slightly from the 1.1 million tonnes imported in the previous year. Maize imports are also expected to increase from 2.1 million tonnes to 2.2 million tonnes in 2003(January/December). Rice imports are expected to be similar to the volume of 160 000 tonnes imported in marketing year 2002 (January/December).