FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/98 - UZBEKISTAN (30 November)

The 1998 grain and pulse harvest was sharply better than last year mainly in response to good weather and the reduction in the marginal areas sown to wheat. The total output in 1998 is estimated at 4.4 million tonnes compared to 3.8 million tonnes last year and includes 3.6 million tonnes of wheat, (1997: 3.1 million tonnes) 0.3 million tonnes of coarse grains, virtually unchanged from last year, and 0.5 million tonnes (1997: 0.4 million tonnes) of rice. Nevertheless, aggregate output remained well below the target of 5.1 million tonnes, of which 4.2 million tonnes of wheat. The shortfall will be covered by commercial imports.

The early outlook for the main winter grain harvest in 1999 is satisfactory. By 1 November, farmers had planted nearly half of the winter grain area target of 1.31 million hectares, virtually the same as that sown in the preceding year.

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