"Little difficulty" in accessing food

Farmers in Rwanda have completed land preparation and sowing for the 2000 B agricultural season, and sorghum crops are developing well now that rains have become "fully established," according to the latest the latest Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) bulletin. It said normal rainfall was forecast for the March-May period throughout most of the country, with a higher probability of "normal to below normal rainfall" in the south and
southwest regions. Meanwhile, local production from last season combined with imports from Uganda and the DRC had maintained the market supply of two staple food commodities, beans and Irish potatos, which were now at their lower price levels since 1994, the report said. "As a result, for the next few months, Rwanda should experience little difficulty gaining access to food," the report stated. However, it added that prices of food commodities were expected to increase until the next harvest in June/July
because a recent 12 percent increase in fuel prices would affect the cost of transport from production areas to major markets.
[www.fews.org]