Main findings of the June overview
Abundant and extended long rains in East Africa are generally beneficial for crops and rangeland, but have caused major flooding along the region’s main rivers.
In Southern Africa, at harvesting time, production expectations are below average in Southern Madagascar and in regions that experienced a major dry spell early in the season, including Southern Mozambique, Southern Malawi, Lesotho, Southern Zimbabwe and Southern Zambia.
In the West African Sahelian area, the main season has started on time, while in parts of the Sudanean belt and in parts of the Gulf of Guinea the first season is affected by dry conditions and the late onset of rainfall.
Harvests in North Africa are above average in Morocco and Algeria and slightly below average in Tunisia due to drought conditions in the central part of the country.
At the end of the harvesting period, production is expected to be significantly reduced in Syria, parts of northern Iraq and southern Iran, due to failed sowings (see also the Special Alert of June 2018).
As a result of the dry conditions that persist since this winter, the productivity of pastures and rain-fed cereals is clearly reduced in much of Central Asia, including Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Crop conditions are generally favourable across Central America and South-East Asia.