Favourable Prospects for Cuba 2014 Cereal Crop

Harvesting of the 2014 main season rice crop is currently underway and will be completed by the end of December.

Following a good secondary season output and assuming average yields for the crops of the main season still to be harvested, the aggregate 2014 rice production is expected to reach 700,000 tonnes, 4 per cent up from last year’s bumper level and well above the average of the previous five years.

The increase is mainly attributed to a 4 per cent expansion in plantings.

The 2014 main season maize production, to be harvested from late September, is forecast to increase as a result of projected higher yields following favourable weather conditions.

Total cereal production is preliminarily forecast at 1 million tonnes, 4 per cent up from last year and 15 per cent above the five-year average.