MALAYSIA (10 February)
Harvesting of the main rice crop, accounting for about 60 percent of total rice production, is under way and should be completed by April. The rest of the production comes from the off-season crop planted in March/April. The output of aggregate paddy rice in 2003 has been estimated at a record 2.4 million tonnes, up some 15 percent from last year and 16 percent higher than the average for the previous five years, reflecting favourable weather conditions. Malaysia is a net importer for major grains. The import requirements of total grains in 2003/04 have been projected at 4.3 million tonnes (1.4 million tonnes of wheat, 0.6 million tonnes of rice, and 2.4 million tonnes of coarse grains).
Incessant rain flooded parts of Johor, Malaysia’s main oil palm growing state in January 2004, forcing the evacuation of more than 3 000 people and severely threatening palm oil production.