REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
AFRICA Beneficial weather conditions triggered production gains in East Africa and output rebounds in North Africa. By contrast, dry conditions curbed harvests in Southern Africa, while in West Africa, production is expected to revert to average levels. Conflicts in several countries of the region, notably in Central Africa, continue to acutely impact the agriculture sector.
ASIA Cereal harvests in 2018 declined to below-average levels in the Near East and CIS Asia, on account of rainfall deficits, while also ongoing conflicts in parts of the Near East continue to impede agricultural activities. Aggregate cereal production in the Far East is foreseen to rise, driven by an enlarged paddy output.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Cereal production is estimated to decline from last year’s record high in South America. In Central America and the Caribbean, extended dry weather conditions have adversely affected the 2018 output, except in Mexico.