GIEWS Update – Central America
Continuation of El Niño conditions raises concerns over planting and early development of the 2019 main season maize crop in Central America
30/04/2019
Highlights:
- In Central America, the El Niño phenomenon is generally associated with below-average rains and prolonged dry spells.
- The 2019 January-March dry season in the subregion was drier than usual due to the presence of El Niño, which affected production of the 2018 third season maize crop in Guatemala.
- There is a high likelihood that the El Niño phenomenon could persist in the May-July period, which coincides with the planting and development stages of the main season maize crop and continue until the end of the year.
- If dry conditions adversely impact the 2019 main maize output, prices of white maize, which are already at high levels, could increase further, constraining food access for vulnerable households.
- In several countries, governments are already implementing preventive measures to mitigate the impact of dry weather conditions and to increase farmers’ resilience, especially in the “Dry Corridor.
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