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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
September 3, 2002
Severe drought over Senegal's Groundnut Basin (Figure 1) has greatly reduced this year's peanut crop production prospects. USDA estimates the peanut crop for MY 2001/02 at 903,000 tons, slightly below the 2000/01 record crop of one million tons. This year’s crop (MY 2002/03) was forecasted by USDA in early July at 900,000 tons, but industry sources indicate the drought may reduce peanut production to lower than 500,000 tons.
The center of the drought lies directly over the Groundnut Basin and the drought extends into neighboring countries, including the Gambia, southern Mauritania, and southwestern Mali. The government of the Gambia has already reported failure of its rice crop, which also lies within the Groundnut Basin. This year’s drought is also expected to reduce Senegal’s grain crops, including millet, sorghum, and rice (Figure 2). Planting for Senegal's rainy season is from mid-June to July and the rainy season typically ends around the last week of September; indicating the region has only one more month to receive rainfall.
Figure 1. Drought Region Over Senegal and Neighboring Countries
Most of Senegal lies along the Sahelian zone, where 80 percent of annual rainfall occurs between July and October. Rainfall is relatively high and dependable in the southern part of Senegal, but becomes less reliable and highly variable towards the north. Senegal’s annual rainfall is highly dependent on the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and this year’s ITCZ did not advance far enough north to provide substantial rains for Senegal’s Groundnut Basin.
Groundnuts are primarily produced in central Senegal, while sorghum and millet are grown in the central and northern regions. Rice is grown in the Senegal River valley and in the southern region of Casamance. Other food crops grown in Senegal include coconuts, bananas, corn, potatoes, and sugar cane. Groundnuts, cashew nuts, and cotton are the main cash crops, with cotton being a relatively new cash crop grown mostly in the south.
Figure 2. Drought Region Extends into Millet and Sorghum Regions of Several West African Countries
Senegal Rice Production
http://www.fas.usda.gov/pecad2/highlights/2001/10/senegal/Senegal_rice_01.htm
NOAA’s Africa Weather Hazards Assessment
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/fews/threatsimage.html
NOAA’s Ten-Day ITCZ Position
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/african_desk/ITCZ/ITCZ.html
Reference Images
Sorghum Planting Season along the Sahel
