date:Nov 21, 2012
the 2012 season has been progressing satisfactorily, especially after a revival of the monsoon rains since mid-August allayed fears of a repeat of the 2009 drought in India.
Prospects improved not only for India, but also for Egypt, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Philippines, the United States and Viet Nam, while they worsened in Myanmar, Colombia and Senegal.
In Asia, where rice is the staple food, FAO projects paddy output will reach 661 million tonnes, or 441 million tonnes