ARMENIA (9 February)
Latest reports indicate that 127 000 hectares have been planted with winter cereals, similar to last year but about 15 000 hectares up on the five-year average. Winter cereals are reportedly in satisfactory conditions and aggregate cereal harvest may match the good harvest in 2004, which totalled some 424 000 tonnes. The aggregate cereal harvest in 2004 included some 350 000 tonnes of wheat, 62 000 tonnes of barley and 6 000 tonnes of maize. Potato is the second most important food crop after wheat. Potato yields over the past few years have continued to improve, owing to the introduction of new high yielding varieties in the country through technical assistance projects from FAO. Armenia is a food deficit country and continues to depend on food imports even when harvest is above average. Aggregate cereal import for the current marketing year (2004/05) is estimated at about 169 000 tonnes, including 50 000 tonnes in food aid.