FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report - August 1997

SUDAN

CURRENT SITUATION

FAO’s estimate of the recently harvested wheat crop, based on the findings of FAO Crop Assessment Mission, remains at 650 000 tons. This is an above -average harvest and second only to the record output in 1991/92. Compared to last year, it is some 23 percent higher. The increase reflects generally favourable growing conditions and larger planted area due to farmers’ response to supportive Government policy and expectations of higher prices. The area planted to wheat increased by 7 percent to 334 000 hectares. The estimate of sorghum is now 4.2 million tons slightly higher than anticipated earlier.

The overall food outlook for 1997 has so far been generally satisfactory. However, the food supply situation in some provinces remains highly precarious. An aggregate deficit of around 600 000 tons of cereals is estimated for six states in Darfur and Kordofan, Red Sea State and South. While some of the deficits may be met through normal internal trade, prospects for an easy flow of supplies are not that good, especially in North Kordofan and North Darfur. In those areas where accessibility poses the greatest problem, a large number of persons are bound to experience hardships. The situation would be even worse in the southern states where economic activity has been adversely affected by many years of civil war. In this part of the country, some 2.6 million war-affected and displaced persons would need emergency food aid estimated at 52 176 tons of which cereals would account for 39 000 tons.