Prolonged Dry Spells to Reduce 2018 Maize Production Prospects

Description

According to the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), as well as Ministry of Agriculture and media reports in early December, the country received below-normal rainfall in December, that was poorly distributed over time and space.

Maize prices in local markets increased during the last week of January after remaining stable and at times below-average since June 2017. The increase may be attributed to an artificial supply decrease as some farmers and traders started hoarding their stocks in anticipation of a below-average 2017/18 harvest.