El Niño lowers forecasts for El Salvador agriculture

27 February 1998

El Niño lowers forecasts for El Salvador agriculture

EL SALVADOR has disclosed figures on the likely impact of El Niño on
its agricultural production.

It expects a sharp reduction in crucial exports such as coffee where the
harvest is expected to be 17% lower than earlier predictions for 1997-98 at 2.6 million
quintals.

The agriculture ministry added that a drought last year had hit commodities
such as maize. Production is likely to be 25% below previous forecasts.

This years sugar cane crop is expected to be 20% below previous expectations
at 9.5m quintals, according to the El Salvador Sugar Association.

The Guardian carries a full-page analysis on how the weather
phenomenon is giving Governments “a big headache”. The impact is piecemeal but
the cumulative effect is global, it says.

• Financial Times 27/02/98 page 35
  
  
• The Guardian 27/02/98 page 17