A joint Special Report on the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to Sudan was released today. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited southern Sudan from 9 to 30 October 2003 and northern Sudan from 8 November to 1 December 2003 in order to estimate cereal production and food supply and assess food aid needs from the current harvest of mainly sorghum and millet and to make an early forecast of wheat production in 2004 from areas prepared for planting.

Mission Highlights

• A record cereal harvest of 6.3 million tonnes is forecast for Sudan in 2003/04, of which 82 percent will be sorghum, as a result of favourable rains, timely availability of agricultural inputs and few significant outbreaks of pests or diseases.
• At this level, production is about 63 percent higher than last year's production and 47 percent above the average of the previous five years and is expected to result in a large cereal surplus in 2004.
• Market prices for sorghum have begun falling sharply in the main producing areas; financial difficulties thus threaten farmers and could result in sharp reductions in area planted next season.
• Livestock and pasture conditions are better over most of the country than they have been for several years, and the water levels in water holes (hafirs) are generally satisfactory.
• Despite the bumper harvest and favourable prospects for peace in southern Sudan, about 3.6 million people in Sudan will need targeted food assistance during 2004 mainly due to civil unrest. The recent escalation of conflict in Darfur region alone is estimated to have resulted in substantial losses of cropped areas and led to the displacement of about 1.2 million people.
• The food aid needs of war-affected and localized food-deficit areas are estimated at 249 000 tonnes.
• In view of the ample domestic cereal availability, local purchases for food aid requirements are highly recommended to support markets and ensure locally-acceptable varieties of cereals.

Full report in HTML format: http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/J1505e/J1505e00.htm

Earlier FAO special reports and alerts:
http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/sptoc.htm