BELARUS (5 February)
Favourable weather conditions coupled with adequate availability of seeds, machinery and other inputs as well as relatively high cereal prices have encouraged farmers to increase area planted with winter cereals, 1.1 million hectares this year compared with 992 000 hectares in 2003. Adequate snow in the past couple of months has provided good protection for winter crops. Given favourable weather conditions persist, Belarus is set to maintain the high output level of the past few years. The Government has been attempting to increase cereal production, not only to meet domestic consumption requirements but also export. However, the country still remains a net cereal importer, mainly maize and food quality wheat. The aggregate cereal harvest last year totalled 5.1 million tonnes and cereal imports requirements for the 2003/04 marketing year is estimated at 446 000 tonnes.