HAITI (18 September)
Abundant rains are being reported particularly in the northern parts due to the remote passage of Hurricane “Isabel”. Harvest of the 2003/04 first-season rainfed maize crop has been completed, as well as planting of the first sorghum crop. Production should be close to the average output of the past five years. Harvest of the important irrigated paddy crop has been also completed, while the rainfed crop harvest is under way. An average output is anticipated for this year as well.
Wheat imports for marketing year 2003/04 (July/June) are provisionally forecast at about 295 000 tonnes. Maize imports in marketing year 2003/04 (July/June) should decline from last year’s 70 000 tonne-level to about 65 000 tonnes. Imports of rice in 2004 (January/December) are presently forecast at about 230 000 tonnes.
Food assistance from the international community continues to be distributed through development projects to some sectors of the population, particularly in the recurrently drought affected areas of the north-west and some places in the centre.