• by IPS Correspondents (rome)
• Thursday, November 17, 1994
• Inter Press Service

ROME, Nov 17 (IPS) - South America's grain production will be higher than last year's yet insufficent for the 1994-95 deand, according to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) forecasts released Thursday.

In its October food production report, FAO reported that early August rains gave a boost to wheat currently growing in Argentina and Brazils main productive regions.

"In Argentina, where harvests will begin in November, the wheat yield is predicted at 9.7 million tonnes, five percent more than in 1993 but still lower than normal volumes," the report said.

For Brazil, wherd harvests have already gotten underway, FAO predicted a yield of two million tonnes of wheat, less than 1993's already low 2.2 million tonnes.

The document pointed out that six percent less land was planted in 1994 than the year before, due tothe low prices received by producers and the competition of low-priced imported wheat.

In Chile, where harvests are set to begin in December, initial estimates point to levels of production inferior to the low yield seen in 1993, due to the stll high costs of production and the fierce competition of imported grains.

And in Bolivia a normal level of production is expected, which will be lower than the record high hit in 1993 because of a dry period which hit this year's crop.

The climate helped the wheat crop in Peru, and an unprecedented 168,000 tonnes yield is expected, while in Uruguay, where the harvest began in Novemeber, initial estimates point to a lower level than 1993's normal yield.

In Colombia, where the harvest of secondary grains is wrapping up, estimates put the total production of corn and sorghum at a higher than normal level, while in Venezuela less corn will be produced than in 1993.

The FAO document reported that in a majority of the rgion's countries the rice harvest is already finished, having produced a total combined yield of 17.9 million tonnes, eight percent higher than 1993 levels.

Official estimates for Brazil's 1994 rice yield is 10.9 million tonnes, 10 percent aove the 1993 level, due to the abundant rains which fell in the north and northeastern regions.

Meanwhile, Peru had an extraordinary harvest, but in Argentina rice production dropped slightly to 576,000 tonnes, and in Uruguay the rice yield was predicted at 680,000 tonnes, slightly lower than in 1993, but higher than the average of recent years.

FAO General Director Jacques Diouf said Monday that despite the fact that Latin American and Caribbean increases in production would surpass the area's demographic growth, large sectors of the population would continue to suffer from chronic malnutrition.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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