Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Babayeva / World cereal production this year is forecast to increase 4.3 per cent to a record 2.082 billion tones, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports. In southern Africa, preliminary forecasts put total maize production at 14.8 million tonnes, about the same as last year's below-average crop. The bulk of the increase is expected in maize, with a bumper crop already being gathered in South America, and a sharp increase in plantings expected in the United States, according to the April issue of FAO's Crop Prospects and Food Situation report.
FAO forecasts coarse grains production to rise 5.6 per cent to 1.033 billion tonnes, and wheat to increase 4.8 per cent to about 626 million tonnes. Global rice production could rise marginally to 423 million tonnes in milled terms, about 3 million tonnes more than in 2006. But despite improved food supplies in many needy countries, 33 nations are in a critical situation, mostly due to conflict and adverse weather. This list also includes Azerbaijan.
In 2006 the cereal production in Azerbaijan exceeded 2 mln tonnes. Presently the cereal demand of Azerbaijan is 1.6 mln tonnes.