FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - June 2004 p.45
Aggregate 2003 cereal production has been estimated at 23.9 million tonnes, fractionally higher than both in 2002 and the average for the previous five years. Cereal imports have trended upwards in recent years, due mainly to high urban population growth and changing consumption pattern. However, following a lightening of controls against illegal rice and wheat inflows, imports of cereals are forecast to decrease to some 3.79 million tonnes in 2004.
| CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 2004 MARKETING YEAR (January/December) | ||||
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse Grains | Total Cereals | |
| [ | thousand tonnes | ] | ||
| Previous year production (incl. paddy rice) | 50 | 3 667 | 19 681 | 23 398 |
| Previous five years average production (incl. paddy rice) | 46 | 3 428 | 19 285 | 22 759 |
| Previous year imports | 2 400 | 1 500 | 70 | 3 970 |
| Previous five years average imports | 2 038 | 1 258 | 76 | 3 372 |
| 2004 Domestic Availability | 55 | 2 200 | 20 398 | 22 654 |
| 2003 Production (incl. paddy rice) | 55 | 3 667 | 20 198 | 23 920 |
| 2003 Production (incl. milled rice) | 55 | 2 200 | 20 198 | 22 454 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 200 | 200 |
| 2004 Utilization | 2 455 | 3 511 | 20 478 | 26 445 |
| Food use | 2 363 | 3 071 | 15 603 | 21 037 |
| Non-food use | 92 | 440 | 4 736 | 5 268 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | 140 | 140 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 Import Requirement | 2 400 | 1 311 | 80 | 3 791 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 2 400 | 1 300 | 80 | 3 780 |
| of which: received or contracted | 647 | 134 | - | 781 |
| Food aid needs | - | 11 | - | 11 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 11 | - | 11 |
| of which: delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 19 | 25 | 128 | 172 |
| Indexes | [ | Percentage | ] | |
| 2003 Production compared to average (incl. paddy rice) | 120 | 107 | 105 | 105 |
| 2004 Import requirement compared to average | 118 | 104 | 105 | 112 |
| Cereal share of total calorie intake | 46 | |||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Major foodcrops | roots; tubers; coarse grains; rice | |||
| Lean season | April-May | |||
| Population (000s) | 122 367 | |||
| GNI per capita in 2002 (US$) | 300 | |||