FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/99 - GEORGIA* (3 November)
Contrary to earlier reports, the country has harvested 280 000 tonnes of wheat, some 80 000 tonnes more than in 1998 and is expected to harvest about 550 000 tonnes of maize. Consequently the 1999 aggregate grain harvest (including also barley, oats, pulses etc) is estimated at 880 000 tonnes, 10 percent above that of 1998. Information on the level of annual utilisation of cereals is conflicting. The existence of sizeable unregistered flows of cereals (particularly wheat and flour) into the country and the transhipment to other neighbouring countries make analysis difficult. Estimates of the utilization of wheat range from 650 000 to 800 000 tonnes per annum. Registered imports in 1998/99 amounted to 114 000 tonnes from other CIS countries (59 000 tonnes from the Russian Federation and 55 000 tonnes from Ukraine). FAO estimates the annual domestic utilization of wheat (for all uses) of nearly 800 000 tonnes and an aggregate cereal utilization of about 1.35 million tonnes of cereals, including nearly 750 000 tonnes for human consumption and some 500 000-600 000 tonnes for feed and other uses. Given this assumption, the cereal import requirement in 1999/2000 is tentatively estimated by FAO at 0.5 million tonnes. This is less than last year in response to the larger output, the increased difficulty in mobilizing grain in neighbouring Turkey, given the poor harvest and the restrictions (insofar as they can be implemented) on exports from the Russian Federation, should this country receive food aid and/or close the border. Against this requirement, food aid pledges amounting to 78 000 tonnes have been reported to date. Most of the balance is expected to be imported commercially. WFP has planned to provide 18 190 tonnes of food aid to 182 000 vulnerable people and targeted food-for-work schemes over a one-year period, which commenced in July 1999 with a new phase of the protracted relief and recovery operation. The emphasis in the new phase for recovery strategy is to increase the overall level of self-sufficiency through rehabilitation. The programme also provides assistance to the vulnerable people to meet their food needs under the current conditions of decreasing purchasing power.
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