Prospects for wheat and barley, now in the reproductive stage, are favourable. Rainfall since January has helped maintain beneficial soil moisture levels and if favourable conditions persist cereal production in 1996 is expected to continue recovering.
The output of wheat and barley more than doubled to 1.6 million tons and 0.54 million tons, respectively in 1995 as a result of favourable weather conditions.
Imports of wheat, including semolina, in 1995/96 (July/June) are estimated at 4.0 million tons, a decrease of about 0.8 million tons from the previous year. Imports of coarse grains, mainly barley and maize, are expected to drop by 350 000 tons to 1.55 million tons.
A small infestation of gregarious hoppers was reported for the first time this year in late March, south of the Atlas mountains near Bechar. A few isolated adults were present neat Tinolout.
Growing conditions are satisfactory for the mostly irrigated wheat crop to be harvested from mid-April. However, due to below-normal rainfall in northern rainfed areas, wheat and barley area is reported to be slightly lower than last year.
The production of wheat in 1995 is estimated to have increased by 1.3 million tons to a record 5.7 million tons. The output of maize was about average at 5.1 million tons. Paddy production was also above average and increased by 240 000 tons to 4.8 million tons.
Imports of wheat and wheat flour in 1995/96 (July/June) are estimated to decline by some 1.2 million tons to 5.6 million tons. Imports of coarse grains, mainly maize, are expected to decrease by 360 000 tons to 2.0 million tons.
Isolated adults of Desert Locusts are present on the south- eastern coast and in a few wadis near the southern Nile.
Prospects for the wheat and barley crops are favourable and a marked recovery is anticipated in 1996. Heavy rainfall early in the year resulted in severe flooding which caused some damage to crops and infrastructure but sharply increased the level of water in reservoirs, currently estimated at a record 8 billion cubic meters, compared to 3 billion cubic meters last year, during which the country suffered serious drought. Cumulative rainfall at the end of February was 67 percent higher than normal.
Following a prolonged drought in 1995, production of cereals fell to 1.8 million tons, the lowest in 30 years, with wheat accounting for an estimated 1.1 million tons, only one-fifth of the record harvest in 1994. The output of barley was also only 16 percent of the 3.7 million tons produced in the previous year.
Imports of wheat and coarse grains in 1995/96 (July/June) are forecast to more than double to 3 million tons and 0.85 million tons respectively compared to the previous year.
Hopper patches and small bands of Desert Locust were present in the Tichla area during March and more than 8 300 hectares were treated during March. A few adults appeared south of the Atlas Mountain on the Oued Draa area.
Lower than normal temperatures and adequate soil moisture levels, continue to favour crops and production of wheat and barley is expected to more than double compared to the poor crop last year. Pasture conditions are reported to be satisfactory, particularly in the centre and south. Total cereal area is estimated at some 1.7 million hectares, some 0.4 million hectares higher than 1995.
To enhance the effects of favourable conditions, the Government granted additional credit to farmers for fertilizers and herbicides in February.
The output of cereals in 1995 fell sharply due to persistent dry weather for the second successive year. Production of wheat and barley was significantly below average and estimated at 0.53 million tons and 80 000 tons respectively.
Imports of wheat in 1995/96 (July/June) are estimated to decrease by 150 000 tons to 1.25 million tons, whilst those of coarse grains, mainly maize and barley, are expected to be similar to the 0.9 million tons imported last year.