Reference Date: 28-October-2026

Harvesting of 2026 coarse grain crops underway

Harvesting of the 2026 coarse grain crops is ongoing and expected to be completed in December, while the irrigated rice crop, which accounts for the largest share of aggregate cereal output, will be harvested in November and December. The rainy season, which typically extends from July to September, was marked by an uneven temporal distribution of precipitation and near‑ to below‑average cumulative rainfall amounts in most producing regions. Early‑season dryness affected crop establishment in several areas and some replanting was required. However, weather conditions improved in late July and satellite imagery indicates average to above‑average vegetation conditions in most producing areas as of end‑September, suggesting generally favourable production prospects. In some areas, particularly in Gorgol Region, dry spells in August and September are expected to result in localized production shortfalls.

Planting of sorghum in low‑lying areas is ongoing and expected to conclude by the end of October, while planting of off‑season rice will continue through December. Along the Senegal River floodplain, planting of flood‑recession sorghum and maize crops is expected to start in November 2026.

Desert Locust breeding is ongoing and expected to continue, particularly in southern areas. Hopper and adult groups may form in Tagant, Brakna and Trarza regions in November and control operations may be required to avert crop losses.

As of end‑September, rangeland conditions were below average in several areas, particularly in parts of Brakna, Gorgol and Hodh El Gharbi regions, while remaining average to above average elsewhere. Limited pasture regeneration in the affected areas, coupled with low water levels at most monitored livestock watering points across the country, raises concerns over the availability of adequate grazing and water resources during the dry season.

Prices of wheat flour and rice near or above year‑earlier values

Retail prices of imported wheat flour, a major staple food, were stable or increased by up to 5 percent between May and August 2026, while those of imported rice remained generally stable. In August 2026, prices of wheat flour were near to or up to 25 percent above their year‑earlier levels across monitored markets, whereas prices of imported rice were broadly in line with their year‑earlier levels.

Food security concerns persist amid continued refugee arrivals in Hodh Ech Chargui Region

According to the latest Cadre Harmonisé  (CH) analysis, more than 500 000 people (9 percent of the analysed population) were estimated to face severe acute food insecurity (CH Phase 3 [Crisis] and above) during the June to August 2026 lean season, including approximately 13 900 people in CH Phase 4 (Emergency). This represents an improvement compared to the same period in 2025, when about 590 000 people (12 percent of the analysed population) were estimated to be in CH Phase 3 (Crisis) and above, reflecting the positive impact of the above‑average cereal output harvested in 2025 on food availability and access.

The sustained influx of people fleeing conflict in Mali has increased the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the country to an estimated 305 000 people as of end‑August 2026. About 290 000 of them were hosted in Hodh Ech Chargui Region, placing additional pressure on natural resources, livelihood opportunities and basic services in local communities, where about 12 percent of the analysed Mauritanian population was estimated to face severe acute food insecurity between June and August 2026. A separate CH analysis estimated that more than 112 000 Malian refugees in Hodh Ech Chargui Region faced severe acute food insecurity CH Phase 3 (Crisis) and above during the same period, including about 38 400 people in CH Phase 4 (Emergency). This was well above the nearly 43 700 refugees estimated to face severe acute food insecurity during the corresponding period in 2025. While the analysed refugee population increased by 16 percent between 2025 and 2026, the proportion facing CH Phase 3 (Crisis) and above rose from 18 to 40 percent, indicating a substantial deterioration in food security conditions.

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/ .

Cadre Harmonisé (CH) https://www.cadreharmonise.org/ .