Page 36 - AA 2023 Year Book Website

Mauritania

CEREAL PRODUCTION IN 2022 FORECAST NEAR

AVERAGE, ABOVE 2021 REDUCED LEVEL

Planting of the main irrigated rice crop ternational prices of cereals and bottle-
was completed in July and planting of necks in the international supply chain.
coarse grain crops, maize, millet and sor- Between November 2021 and August
ghum, concluded recently. Harvesting of 2022, the country imported about 155 000
all cereal crops is due to start in October tonnes of wheat, about one third of the an-
and production prospects are overall fa- nual requirements, mostly reflecting the
vourable. interruption of shipments from the ports
The rainy season had a timely start in in the Black Sea Region. At this pace, it is
June. Average to above average rainfall unlikely that the country will be able to
amounts between June and August sup- meet its import requirements in 2021/22,
ported planting activities and crop es-
tablishment. Although the abundant rains
supported crop development, flooding
across seven regions through mid Sep-
tember caused localized damages to
standing crops, the disruption of agricul-
tural livelihoods and losses of productive
assets. The most affected regions were
Tagant, Assaba and Hodh El Garbi in the
south and southeastern parts of the coun-
food insecurity levels reflects below av-
erage market supplies and high food
prices, stemming from the drought re-
duced cereal output in 2021 and increas-
ing prices of imported food. In addition,
according to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
as of August 2022, over 90 000 refugees,
mainly from northern Mali, were present
leading to a significant deficit of wheat in the country. Most of the refugees are
and wheat flour in domestic markets, with heavily dependent on humanitarian as-
a likely drop in its per capita consump- sistance following the severe disruption
tion. of their livelihoods. In order to support
Prices of imported cereals the acute food insecure households dur-
strengthened following ing the lean season, between June and
try. international trends September, the country implemented a
Despite the crop losses due to floods, national response plan, that includes the
2022 national cereal production, mostly Domestic prices of imported wheat free distribution of wheat, local rice, oil,
rice, is forecast at 400 000 tonnes, near flour, the country’s main staple, strength- sugar, condensed milk and dates, in ad-
the five year average and about 13 per- ened in the first half of 2022, reflecting dition to a monthly cash transfer of MRO
cent above the reduced level in 2021, increasing trends in international mar- 450 (about USD 12) per capita for a pe-
as abundant rainfall amounts supported kets and the low level of imports. As of riod of four months. The plan targets all
yields in several cropped areas. June 2022, prices of imported wheat flour estimated acute food insecure persons.
were about 60 percent above their previ-
Cereal import requirements not likely ous year’s levels. Prices of imported rice Production (Tonnes) of some agricultural commodities in
to be met in 2021/22 marketing year increased in 2022, but to a lesser extent, Item Mauritania (2020- 2021) 2021 Flag
2020
Flag
In the past five years, imports of cereals and were about 10 percent higher on a Barley 1441.04 E 1436.01 E
covered up to 80 percent of the national yearly basis in June 2022. Beans, dry 13232.44 E 13161.07 E
consumption requirements, with about Unprecedented 880 000 people in Dates 21961.46 I 22037.25 I
50 percent of wheat imports coming from need of humanitarian food assistance Groundnuts, 876.77 E 872.13 E
the Black Sea Region, mostly Ukraine. in 2022 excluding shelled
This high cereal import dependency Maize (corn) 15000 T 12000 T
makes the country highly vulnerable to According to the March 2022 “Cadre Melonseed 2532.15 I 2516.16 I
the supply shock associated to the war in Harmonisé” analys is, the aggregate Millet 3000 T 1000 T
Ukraine. number of people facing acute food in- Peas, dry 9487.08 E 9512.86 E
In the 2021/22 marketing year (No- security (CH Phase 3 [Crisis] and above) Potatoes 2249.17 I 2252.73 I
vember/October), cereal import require- between June and August 2022 was esti- Rice 291300 A T 428400 A T
49000
Sorghum
93000
ments were estimated at about 520 000 mated at about 880 000, including about
tonnes, near the previous year’s level 83 000 in CH Phase 4 (Emergency). This Sweet potatoes 5273.91 I I 5420.06 I I
2764.99
Watermelons
2861.53
and about 18 percent below the five year is the highest number on record and well Wheat
7000
average. This includes 405 000 tonnes above the 485 000 people estimated to be Yams 7257.05 I I 2988.13 T I
2976.58
of wheat and wheat flour. The estimated acute food insecure during the same pe-
slowdown of imports is due to high in- riod in 2021. The sharp increase in acute A : Official figure, T: Unofficial figure | E : Estimated value, I : Imputed value
Source: FAO Statistical Division 2022
34 Arab Agriculture 2023