SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO (18 September)
Latest reports point to an aggregate cereal harvest of about 6.7 million tonnes, which is almost 1.5 million tonnes lower than the 2002/03 marketing year harvest. This year’s aggregate cereal harvest includes some 1.4 million tonnes of wheat and 4.9 million tonnes of maize, which compares with 2.24 million tonnes of wheat and 5.5 million tonnes of maize in 2002/03 marketing year. The wheat harvest reflects a reduction in planted area by 100 000 hectares in 2003 from 700 000 hectares planted in 2002. In addition, the unusually cold winter and an exceptionally dry spring and summer compromised crop production this year. The government has recently banned all exports of wheat and maize to ensure that sufficient supplies are available within the country. Cereal import requirements for the 2003/04 marketing year have been estimated at about 550 000 tonnes of wheat, 50 000 tonnes of maize and 10 000 tonnes of rice.
The internally displaced and vulnerable population continues to require food and other assistance. Under the current Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation, which began in July 2002, WFP is assisting some 59 126 refugees in Serbia and Montenegro, while ICRC is assisting some 59 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).