THE GAMBIA (11 September)
Overall crop prospects are mostly favourable despite excessive rains in some areas. Rains in August were abundant and widespread. Some fields may have been flooded, but coarse grains and upland rice crops are developing satisfactorily, and recently transplanted rice is emerging or tillering.
Cereal production in 2002 is officially estimated at 139 000 tonnes, 30 percent lower than last year and 7 percent below the average of the last five years. Groundnut output also decreased significantly. Although cereal prices (which increased sharply last year) have decreased slightly in response mainly to increased commercial rice imports, access to food for many households is still very difficult, notably in groundnut-producing areas.