This report assesses sorghum production in Sudan for the 2024/25 season, focusing on Gedaref, White Nile, Blue Nile, and Kassala. Notably, crop conditions exceeded expectations, with increases in sorghum area in several states. Total sorghum production is estimated at 2.65 million tons, with varied yields across regions.
This report evaluates sorghum production in select states of Sudan for the 2024/25 growing season, concentrating on the regions of Gedaref, White Nile, Blue Nile, and the New Halfa irrigation scheme in Kassala. These areas represent the primary sorghum producing regions in Sudan, where sorghum is a staple crop prized for its storability in underground pits, known as Matmuras.
To assess sorghum production, satellite imagery was utilized to identify cultivated areas. This information was paired with yield data obtained through crop cuts, which were analyzed to produce a regression line correlating the peak normalized difference vegetation index (Peak-NDVI) with yield outcomes.
Key findings from the analysis reveal that crop conditions in the region exceeded expectations despite various challenges encountered during the 2023/24 season. The sorghum planted area in Gedaref for 2023/24 rose slightly compared to the previous year, while both White Nile and Kassala reported increases above their long-term averages. However, Blue Nile’s area remained below average.
In Kassala, an area estimate of 734,000 hectares of sorghum was determined. The average productivity of rainfed sorghum across states for 2024/25 was projected at approximately 0.9 tons per hectare, resulting in an estimated total sorghum production of 2.65 million tons, distributed as follows: Gedaref 1.57 million tons, White Nile 0.70 million tons, Blue Nile 0.31 million tons, and the New Halfa irrigation scheme in Kassala 0.07 million tons.
In summary, the report highlights an optimistic outlook for sorghum production in Sudan for the 2024/25 growing season. Positive crop conditions and an increase in planted areas, particularly in Gedaref, White Nile, and Kassala, support this outlook. However, challenges remain evident, particularly in Blue Nile, where planted areas did not meet long-term averages. Overall, the estimated production of 2.65 million tons reflects significant agricultural potential in the region.
Original Source: www.cgiar.org
