"FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT Below‑average 2022 cereal production forecast Cereal exports forecast to increase Prices of rice at record high in May Critical food security situation due to multiple shocks Below‑average 2022 cereal output forecast The 2022 cropping season will finalize in late June following the completion of the secondary crop harvests. The aggregate 2022 paddy production is forecast at 24.7 million tonnes, about 8 percent below the five‑year average. Despite a near‑average area planted, the poor performance is attributed to low yields as farmers faced challenges in accessing agricultural inputs, particularly agrochemicals, due to reduced availability and high prices. The aggregate 2022 maize production is estimated at a near‑average level of 2.1 million tonnes, 12 percent less the previous year. The area planted reached an above‑average level driven by robust export demand and remunerative domestic prices. However, constrained access to agricultural inputs and below‑average precipitation amounts in the key maize‑producing northern areas resulted in the lowest average yields since 2015. Cereal production prospects for 2023 main crops, currently being planted and for harvest at the end of the year, are uncertain. Although the high cereal prices may encourage farmers to cultivate an above‑average area, shortages and elevated prices of agricultural inputs are likely to persist, potentially curtailing crop yields..."