Despite this projected decline, the supply of cereals to the market remains assured with a stock covering the country's supply for more than 4.5 months, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that this stock is continuously replenished through the various measures taken at this level in order to maintain a regularity in the availability of cereals on the national market.

By species, the ministry noted that the forecast cereal production is made up of common wheat (16.5 million Qx), durum wheat (7.5 million Qx) and barley (5.8 million Qx).

The 2019-20 agricultural season recorded a limited rainfall of 205 mm as of 22 April 2020, down 34% compared to the 30-year average (323.7 mm) and 25% compared to the previous season (282.1 mm) on the same date, the ministry noted, adding that the impact of this low rainfall volume was exacerbated by its poor and irregular spatial and temporal distribution.