KEY MESSAGES
Context
Flood‐related crop damage during 2012/2013 resulted in below‐average crop production in Nigeria. These deficits have substantially offset production surpluses seen elsewhere in the region and have contributed to atypically low market food supply and high consumer demand within Nigeria. Boko Haram‐related conflict in northern Nigeria has also reducedmarket activity and trade flowsin affected regions, and in southeasternNiger and west central Chad.
These market disruptions have had regional impact, resulting in atypical market supply and demand behavior. The marketing system currently relies less on trade flows from surplus maize and millet producing areas of Nigeria and more on atypical trade flows from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Above‐average income from cash crop (cotton and cow pea) sales over the last year has also contributed to below‐ normal trader cereal stocks as many households focused on marketing cash crops,rather than cereals, during the post‐ harvest period.
National Security Stocks held by most West Africa governments were depleted over the 2011/12 consumption and marketing year. To date, SSNs in most countries are less than 50 percent replenished due to inadequate financing and poor SSN management. These stock levels are very atypical for this late in the marketing year.