Mozambique's grain production down by 5 percent: minister

Mozambique's grain production fell 4.8 percent to 2.39 million tonnes last year from 2.51 million tonnes the previous year, the minister of agriculture said on Thursday, blaming a severe drought. The drought has hit much of the southern African region including the maize belt in South Africa, the continent's most advanced economy and the top producer of the staple grain. Jose Pacheco, the agriculture minister, did not give a breakdown of the grains affected by the drought.