FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/98 - BOTSWANA (25 November)
Rainfall in October has favoured early planting of coarse grain crops to be harvested from April 1999. However, more rain is needed for good crop establishment. Production of cereals in 1998, mainly sorghum, is estimated at 9 000 tonnes, one-third of last year's poor crop and markedly below average, due to erratic and poorly distributed rainfall.
However, even in normal years, the country imports the bulk of its cereal consumption requirements. It is therefore anticipated that available grain stocks and planned commercial imports will meet total requirements for the 1998/99 marketing year.
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