- Ethiopia: 2008 Crop Assessment Travel Report

Ethiopia: 2008 Crop Assessment Travel Report

USDA - Dec 1, 2008 - The crop conditions for the 2008 crop season are summarized as follows:

* Belg crops failed in the north due to failed belg rains.

* For many northern zones, meher crop yields are expected to be below last year’s record crop, due to early cessation of meher rains from September to October. Soil moisture reserves were depleted in mid-October and crops were under water stress while in the grain-filling stages. The November rains were above-average in the north but these rains may have been too late to save the crops from October's dryness.

* Meher crop yields are expected to be worse than last year for Wollo, southern Tigray, and eastern Shewa zones.

* Yields in the Arsi/Bale region of eastern Oromiya could be reduced by 10-20 percent compared to last year because most Arsi/Bale farmers applied less fertilizers compared to last year due to exorbitant fertilizer costs. Read More.