The Government has recently announced wheat and barley procurement prices for the 2017 crops currently being harvested. The price of wheat has been set at SYP 140 (USD 270 per tonne at the official rate of SYP 517.43 per USD) and barley at SYP 110 per kg (USD 210 per tonne), about 10 percent above the levels set in December 2016 and some 40 percent higher than purchasing prices last season (FPMA Food Policies). The measure aims to offset higher production costs due to the ongoing conflict in key growing areas. The continued conflict in the main cereal producing areas in north east of the country and poor rainfall affected wheat production last year, when around 1.5 million tonnes of wheat were harvested, some 37 percent lower than the relatively good output of 2015 and approximately 55 percent lower than the pre conflict average (2007 2011). Wheat output this year is also expected to remain below the pre-conflict average level.