Expectations are for a near average Meher harvest except in some eastern and southern areas.
KEY MESSAGES
Despite some unseasonal rains in November in some parts of the country, no major, large-scale damage of planted Meher crops is reported so far. If these unseasonal, heavy rains continue in Western Ethiopia, post-harvest losses would increase.
Although the October to December Deyr/Hageya rains have already improved pasture and water availability in southern and southeastern pastoral areas, flooding caused by above normal rains occurred in some places. The joint intervention made by the government and humanitarian organizations addressed most of the food and nonfood needs.
With the start of the Meher harvest in October, prices of cereals are declining. From September to October, the annualized food price inflation rate declined for the eighth month in a row and stood at 13 percent. However, prices of staple foods remain high compared to their five-year averages.
