FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - September 2005 p.45
Aggregate cereal production in 2004 has been estimated at about 23.3 million tonnes, similar to the previous year good crop. Cereal imports have trended upwards in recent years, due mainly to high urban population growth, changing consumption pattern, increased feed use in the rapidly growing poultry sector, the continuous expansion of the country milling capacity, etc. In spite of the tightening of controls against illegal rice and wheat inflows, imports of cereals are forecast to increase to some 4.5 million tonnes in 2005.
| CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 2005 MARKETING YEAR (January/December) | ||||
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse Grains | Total Cereals | |
| [ | thousand tonnes | ] | ||
| Previous year production (incl. paddy rice) | 71 | 3 373 | 19 172 | 22 616 |
| Previous five years average production (incl. paddy rice) | 75 | 3 178 | 18 408 | 21 661 |
| Previous year imports | 2 604 | 1 450 | 80 | 4 134 |
| Previous five years average imports | 2 287 | 1 458 | 98 | 3 843 |
| 2005 Domestic Availability | 71 | 2 125 | 19 741 | 21 937 |
| 2004 Production (incl. paddy rice) | 71 | 3 542 | 19 691 | 23 304 |
| 2004 Production (incl. milled rice) | 71 | 2 125 | 19 691 | 21 887 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 50 | 50 |
| 2005 Utilization | 3 071 | 3 525 | 19 861 | 26 457 |
| Food use | 2 979 | 3 100 | 15 356 | 21 435 |
| Non-food use | 92 | 425 | 4 365 | 4 882 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | 140 | 140 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 Import Requirement | 3 000 | 1 400 | 120 | 4 520 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 3 000 | 1 400 | 120 | 4 520 |
| of which: received or contracted | 1 675 | 569 | 50 | 2 294 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 24 | 25 | 123 | 171 |
| Indexes | [ | percentage | ] | |
| 2004 Production compared to average (incl. paddy rice) | 95 | 111 | 107 | 108 |
| 2005 Import requirement compared to average | 131 | 96 | 122 | 118 |
| Cereal share of total calorie intake | 46 | |||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Major foodcrops | roots; tubers; coarse grains; rice | |||
| Lean season | April-May | |||
| Population (000s) | 125 244 | |||
| GNI per capita in 2003 (US$) | 350 | |||