FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 11/01 - BOLIVIA (3 November)
Planting of summer cereal crops is underway and the prospects are favourable. Water reservoir levels are increasing from spring defrosting after a particularly intense winter of heavy snowing in the highlands, where floods earlier this year damaged an estimated 40 000 hectares of crops. The departments most affected by the floods were La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosí and Chuquisaca. The food supply situation of the affected population is expected to tighten in the coming months because no crops were planted in the highlands during winter and the next harvest is not due until May. FAO is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (MAGDR) in the provision of agricultural inputs for planting summer season crops in 1600 affected farms.
Wheat import requirements for marketing year 2001/02 (July/June) are estimated at about 300 000 tonnes.