An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission has just completed its field work in Sudan and has concluded that cereal production is significantly down on last year's record harvest. Most of the reduction is in sorghum and is due to lower areas planted and the effect of a dry September across much of the country. Irrigated sorghum is comparable to last year. The millet crop is higher than last year's very poor harvest, but winter wheat is expected to be similar to 1996/97. Considerable carryover stocks from 1996 should ensure adequate food supplies overall, but severe food deficits will occur in North Darfur and parts of North Kordofan.
In Southern Sudan, the season was dominated by a long dry period which followed good planting rains in April. Much of the first season crop was lost in Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, Bahr El Jebel and Bahr El Ghazal. Some long season sorghum crops survived but yields will be reduced by heavy infestation of stalk borer.
Insecurity caused much disruption of farming in Bahr El Ghazal and, in parts of Jonglei States. Severe food shortages will be faced in Bahr El Jebel, Bahr El Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Lakes States.