Seasonably hot and dry conditions prevail. Higher than normal temperatures have been reported in early February. Harvesting of recession crops is underway and prospects are more favourable than the previous year. Due to a long dry spell in July/August, the 1997 aggregate rainfed cereal production is estimated at 774 000 tonnes, which is about 20 percent below the previous year’s level and below average. Production of off-season and recession crops, which is forecast to be around 40 000 tonnes, is additional to this amount.
Following the reduced cereal harvest in 1997, the overall food supply situation is going to be tight during the 1997/98 marketing year. In urban areas, food supply is adequate despite a price rise for imported rice in early January 1998. In rural areas, prices of rice remain generally stable but those of coarse grains are increasing in the areas which gathered a poor rainfed crop in 1997, notably in the north and the centre-north. The areas most at risk are located in the centre and the north, in the regions of Diambel, Fatick, Louga, Thiès and Saint Louis. In September, the Government started food distributions in the affected areas and requested assistance for off-season production activities and the mobilization of cereals from surplus areas of the south. In mid-January, the Government launched an appeal for food assistance amounting to 82 600 tonnes of cereals to cover the needs of about 2.5 million persons.