Reference Date: 30-April-2025

Slightly above-average paddy output obtained in 2024

According to preliminary findings of the 2024  FAO Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) , aggregate paddy production in 2024 is estimated at 3.8 million tonnes (rice in paddy equivalent), slightly above the five-year average, reflecting an expansion in plantings driven by attractive domestic prices of rice at planting time. However, yields are estimated to be at below-average levels due to farmers’ limited access to critical agricultural inputs and localized crop losses caused by flooding triggered by several tropical storms and cyclones between June and October 2024. Aggregate maize production is estimated at 613 000 tonnes, about 10 percent below the five-year average, reflecting a cutback in plantings as many farmers preferred to grow more remunerative crops, such as coffee, bananas, sugarcane and cassava.

Maize exports in 2024/25 marketing year forecast well below average

In the 2024/25 marketing year (September/August), exports of maize, the country’s main exported cereal, are forecast at 230 000 tonnes, well below the average level due to limited exportable availability following the low outputs harvested in 2023 and 2024.

Domestic prices of rice at very high levels in February 2025

Domestic prices of rice, the country’s main food staple, increased steadily between April 2023 and September 2024, reaching record levels largely due to soaring costs of production and transport. Concerns over the negative effects of flooding on the 2024 main paddy production contributed to price increases. Although prices eased slightly from October 2024 to February 2025 with the commercialization of the 2024 main harvest, they remained between 10 and 15 percent higher than the already elevated levels of a year earlier.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .