Summary
On 30 April early estimates indicate that the extreme and severe draught situation that has been affecting a large part of the mainland is forecast to continue. This protracted situation has caused serious losses in agriculture. The disastrous draught effects are strongly felt in the cereal season, which is forecast to be the worst for the last two decades. Livestock farming is also facing difficulties due to feed shortages, which have affected meat and milk yield and have raised production costs as a result of the extraordinary acquisition of feed supplement. Losses extend to spring/summer crops, anticipating a broadly based decline in surface cultivated.