FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
Cereal production in 2015 forecast to increase
Cereal imports in 2015/16 marketing year (July/June) forecast to decline
Food insecurity persists in rural areas
Cereal production in 2015 forecast to increase
Harvesting of the 2015 monsoon season cereal crops (rice, maize and millet) is currently underway and will continue until December. FAO’s latest forecast for the 2015 aggregate cereal production stands at 182 900 tonnes, 5 percent above last year’s average-level. Most of this increase reflects a larger rice output, which is expected to reach 77 000 tonnes, 7 percent up from the previous year’s reduced level. Similarly, the 2015 maize output is projected to increase by 4 percent to 81 000 tonnes.
Cereal imports in 2015/16 marketing year (July/June) forecast to decline
As a result of the expected increase in the 2015 aggregate cereal production, total cereal imports in the 2015/16 marketing year (July/June) are forecast to contract by 8 percent to 79 000 tonnes. Imports consist mainly of rice and wheat, which are forecast at 77 000 and 6 000 tonnes, respectively.
Food insecurity persists in rural areas
Stressed food insecurity persists mostly in rural areas, with higher concentrations in the eastern and southern parts of the country. UNHCR indicates that as of June 2015 more than 21 000 refugees from Bhutan are still living in refugee camps in eastern Nepal.