date:Apr 09, 2014
e 6 percent higher than in the previous year, reflecting higher demand for the commodity.
Rice imports in 2013 are put at 700 000 tonnes, less than half of the volume imported in 2012 and much lower than the actual rice imports of 2.9 million tonnes in 2011. Imports of maize are estimated at 2.2 million tonnes, an increase of 10 percent compared to the 2012/13 above-average level on account of the reduction in the 2013 maize harvest.
The total cereal imports for the 2013/14 marketing year (Apr