Improved Food Situation, Good Harvest Prospects
Key Messages
Crop development is above average for this time period throughout the country, due to regular rainfall since the third dekad of July and no major crop disease or pest problems. Preliminary estimates issued in August by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Statistics forecast potential cereal production at 7 percent to 17 percent higher than the five-year average.
Consumer and producer cereal prices remained stable in comparison to the previous month. However, they were higher than last year (by 23 to 60 percent) and higher than the five-year average (by 36 to 59 percent). Prices are expected to follow seasonal trends and drop gradually as the new harvests come in and traders sell their stocks.
The food situation of poor households is gradually improving with the arrival of newly harvested foods and the continuation of food aid. However until the main harvest at the end of September, most poor households in the country’s northern, north-central and eastern livelihood zones will remain at the Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity levels.