BURUNDI* (11 February) Harvest of the 1998 first season foodcrops is almost complete. Preliminary results of a joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission, currently visiting the country, indicate that this season’s food output will remain at the same reduced level of last year with an increase in plantings offset by lower yields. A delay of one month in the beginning of the rainy season, coupled with shortages of seeds, limited the expansion in the area planted following the return to their households of large number of population previously in regroupment camps, the return of refugees from neighbouring countries, and a relative improvement in security conditions. Excessive rains since mid-October and unseasonable precipitation in January resulted in floods and crop losses in marshland areas and, in general, reduced yields of cereal and pulse crops. However, the abundant precipitation benefited root and tubers and bananas.

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