SWAZILAND (18 September)
Land is under preparation for planting the 2004 main-season cereal crops from October on under normal weather conditions.
Erratic rains during the 2002/03 growing season, mainly in the lowland region, resulted in another reduced 2003 cereal harvest. Although production was about 6 percent higher than last year’s poor crop, it nonetheless remained well below average at 77 000 tonnes.
Cereal import requirement in 2003/04 (April/March) remain high at 128 000 tonnes. This figure includes 24 000 tonnes of food aid for 217 000 vulnerable people affected by a reduced harvest and/or suffering from HIV/AIDS.