FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.1 - May 2003 p.12
A joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in October 2002 estimated maize production at some 5 000 tonnes, which is only one fourth of 2001 output and similar to the poor crops in 1997 and 1998. The Mission estimated cereal import requirements for the marketing year 2002/03 at 108 518 tonnes. Taking into account anticipated commercial cereal imports of 33 250 tonnes and 40 000 tonnes of food aid pledges, the total uncovered deficit for the year is about 35 700 tonnes.
| CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 2002/03 MARKETING YEAR (November/October) | ||||
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse Grains | Total Cereals | |
| [ | thousand tonnes | ] | ||
| Previous year production | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| Previous five years average production | - | - | 18 | 18 |
| Previous year imports | 19 | 24 | 31 | 74 |
| Previous five years average imports | 21 | 30 | 33 | 84 |
| 2002/03 Domestic Availability | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| 2002 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| 2002 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2002/03 Utilization | 24 | 31 | 58 | 114 |
| Food use | 24 | 31 | 57 | 113 |
| Non-food use | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2002/03 Import Requirement | 24 | 31 | 53 | 109 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 5 | 17 | 11 | 33 |
| of which: received or contracted | - | - | - | - |
| Food aid needs | 20 | 14 | 42 | 75 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 8 | 8 | 24 | 40 |
| of which: delivered | 3 | 1 | 7 | 11 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 52 | 67 | 123 | 242 |
| Indexes | [ | percentage | ] | |
| 2002 Prod. compared to average (rice paddy terms): | - | - | 28 | 28 |
| 2002/03 Import requirement compared to average: | 115 | 104 | 161 | 129 |
| Cereal share of total calorie intake: | 50 | |||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Major foodcrops: | maize; rice; pulses | |||
| Lean season: | n.a since 90% of requirements covered by imports | |||
| Population (000s): | 466 | |||
| GNP per capita in 2001 (US$): | 1 310 | |||