FAO forecasts higher aman yield
Aman rice production this year is likely to be slightly higher than last year, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said.
Despite crop losses for floods in some areas, yields of aman paddy, the second biggest crop after boro, are likely to come to 1.97 crore tonnes this season.
“This reflects an increase in the area planted, in response to high prices at sowing time, coupled with higher yields due to the good rains during the season and increased use of improved seeds,” FAO said in its country report on Bangladesh.
Overall, rainfall between June and mid-October had been near-average over the main rice-producing areas and thus benefited sowing activities and crop development, it said.
However, heavy rains during August over the northwestern and northeastern parts of the country, coupled with onrush of water from upstream India led to localised floods, resulting in some crop losses in some areas.
“In spite of this, the overall damage to the 2014 aman season paddy crop is expected to be minimal.”
The monsoon-based aman accounts for 38 percent of annual paddy production. The Department of Agricultural Extension aims to ensure production of 1.34 crore tonnes of rice from the ongoing aman season.
Harvesting of the 2014 aman season crop is expected to start in early November and continue until mid-December.
FAO said under current expectations, it tentatively forecasts that total paddy production including aus, the ongoing aman and forthcoming boro seasons may be 5.25 crore tonnes, up 2 percent from last year.
Bangladesh bagged 3.44 crore tonnes in fiscal 2013-14, up 1.77 percent year-on-year, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. FAO also forecast maize output in 2014 is likely to marginally higher than last year's record output.
The UN agency said record domestic production is likely cut rice imports in 2015.
Wheat imports may rise 4 percent year-on-year to 28 lakh tonnes in fiscal 2014-15, it said.
FAO said the prediction was based on current expectations that the government will continue its efforts to restore stocks for the public distribution programmes.
Overall, Bangladesh's cereal imports may be 32 lakh tonnes this fiscal year, it said.
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