ALGERIA (11 February)
Timely and good rains at planting time in November prompted early sowing of winter cereals to be harvested in May/June. Following favourable temperature and moisture conditions, reported better than last year, and adequate availability of agricultural inputs, the prospects for the 2004 harvest of wheat and barley appear to be so far favourable. Aggregate production of cereals in 2003 is estimated at a record high of 4.2 million tonnes, a noticeable recovery from the 2002 drought-affected crop of 1.5 million tonnes and double the average for the preceding five years. Wheat output reached 2.9 million tonnes compared to 1.1 million tonnes harvested the previous year and the five-year average of 1.5 million tonnes. Barley output increased more than three times to 1.2 million tonnes.
Reflecting this bumper crop, imports of cereals in 2003/04 (July/June) are expected to decrease by more than 1 million tonnes to 5.6 million tonnes.