TANZANIA: Food crop production down by 10 percent

DAR ES SALAAM, 26 May 2003 (IRIN) - Tanzania's national food crop production is likely to decline by 10 percent this year compared to last year, the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) has predicted in its May report. Despite the shortfall, which has been put down to "low and erratic rainfall", FEWS said that the overall food supply situation would remain "adequate". Nonetheless, it noted that the price of staple foods began to rise in some markets in April, "contrary to the normal trend". The organisation's monthly report noted that while national food requirements for 2003/04 are calculated at 8.4 million mt, preliminary estimates for 2002/03 food crop production are around 7.7 million mt. FEWS said that the rains in all three growing seasons had been low and erratic and, as a result, "production yields for most of the crops are likely to drop". FEWS also warned that although the overall prospects for food security were "good", rising staple prices were a cause for concern. "As production from both seasons (msimu and masika harvests) is below normal, food shortages are likely to start emerging by the end of 2003, causing further price increases. This situation, however, can be contained if the production gap is understood and addressed well in advance," the agency noted. Earlier this year, the Tanzania Meteorological Society (TMS) warned that this year's rains would be poor. In his monthly broadcast to the nation at the end of March, President Benjamin Mkapa cautioned Tanzanians of a pending food crisis and told them to conserve food and to plant suitable crops.