Reference Date: 12-August-2024

Delayed planting of maize and beans crops of 2024 primera season due to late start of seasonal rains

The 2024 maize primera season is currently at vegetative and flowering stages, following a late start in sowing operations in June 2024 caused by the delayed onset of seasonal rains. Soil moisture has been replenished in the main producing areas by average to above‑average rainfall amounts in July and favourable crop conditions are reported in satellite images (green areas in ASI map). Weather forecast points to favourable rains in the upcoming months, with a conducive impact on yields of crops to be harvested in September. However, according to official estimates, the seasonal output is expected at a below‑average level, due to a contraction in planted area.

Planting for 2024 red beans primera season ended in June 2024, after a delayed start due to soil moisture deficits. Planted area for beans, despite remaining below average, increased with respect to the previous year’s level, owing to the rising trend of prices which started at the beginning of 2024. Rainfall amounts are forecast to be above average for the August to September period in the main producing areas and they may affect yields of primera crops as beans are highly sensitive to excessive moisture. Additionally, the excessive rainfall may lead to the appearance of pests in the fields, which can further impact production, as well as hamper planting operations of postrera crops that will start in September.

The 2024 rainfed paddy crop was sown in early July in northern highlands and the eastern region, while planting of the irrigated paddy crop ended in June in the central region. According to official estimates, output of the ongoing de invierno season is expected to be higher than the previous years’ levels, due to expectation of above‑average yields for the irrigated paddy crops to be harvested in November 2024.

Sowing operations for the 2024 postrera maize season will start in August in central and southern regions. Average to above‑average rainfall amounts are expected in August and September 2024, benefiting soil moisture and crop yields.

Cereal import requirements estimated at above average levels in 2023/24 marketing year

Cereal import requirements in the 2023/24 marketing year (September/August) are estimated at an above‑average level of 812 000 tonnes, mainly due to the increasing domestic demand for yellow maize by the feed industry and for wheat, which is not produced in the country, for food use.

Prices of maize and beans lower year‑on‑year in July 2024

Wholesale prices of red beans maintained an upward trend starting from January 2024, but dropped dramatically in June 2024, assessing a 18 percent lower year‑on‑year level as of July 2024. Similarly, white maize wholesale prices in July 2024 were over 30 percent below the level of 12 months before. By contrast, reflecting the sustained domestic demand, rice prices have been increasing since the beginning of the current year and, in July 2024, they were about 5 percent higher than their previous year’s level.

In June 2024, the annual food inflation rate for the basic food basket was 7.6 percent , well below the rate of 13.8 percent registered one year before, facilitating access to food for the most vulnerable households.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .