|
Area: |
246 000 sq.km |
|
Climate: |
Tropical wet-dry; one rainy season: March/June to October/November |
|
Population: |
6.9 million (1996 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 550 (1995) |
|
Specific characteristics of the country: |
Low-income food-deficit country; mountainous coastal country |
|
Logistics: |
Ports and roads inadequate |
|
Major foodcrops: |
Rice, roots and tubers, coarse grains |
|
Marketing year: |
January/December; Lean season: July-September |
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: |
52 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Limited precipitation occurred in late February and allowed planting of rice in the south-east Dry conditions prevailed in early and mid March over the whole country. Rains started again over the extreme south-east during the third dekad of March, allowing land preparation for the first planting of maize and rice. Some re-planting might have occurred due to the early start of rains followed by a dry period. As a result of below normal but very widespread rainfall during the growing season and scarcity of fertilizers, the first estimate for aggregate cereal output in 1996 is 894 000 tons, which is about average.
Markets were well supplied in January and prices were generally slightly lower than last year. The cereal import requirement for 1997 (excluding re-exports) is anticipated to be 375 000 tons of wheat and rice. In March, it was estimated that about 650 000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees were in Guinea most of whom are assisted with emergency food aid. With the ongoing peace process in Liberia and Sierra Leone, refugees are likely to begin returning. The caseload of refugees targeted for food aid distribution from January 1997 amounts to 293 000 Liberians and 173 000 Sierra-Leoneans.
|
Wheat |
Rice |
Coarse grains |
Total |
|
|
Normal Production |
- |
720 |
200 |
920 |
|
Normal Imports |
- |
110 |
260 |
370 |
|
of which: Structural food aid |
1 |
32 |
2 |
35 |
|
1997 Domestic Availability |
5 |
446 |
227 |
678 |
|
1996 Production (rice in paddy terms) |
- |
668 |
222 |
890 |
|
1996 Production (rice in milled terms) |
- |
446 |
222 |
668 |
|
Possible stock drawdown |
5 |
- |
5 |
10 |
|
1997 Utilization |
115 |
706 |
232 |
1 053 |
|
Food Use |
112 |
616 |
192 |
920 |
|
of which: local purchase requirement |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Non-food use |
3 |
90 |
40 |
133 |
|
Exports or Re-exports |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Possible stock build up |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1997 Import Requirement |
110 |
260 |
5 |
375 |
|
Anticipated commercial imports |
105 |
250 |
- |
355 |
|
Food aid needs |
5 |
10 |
5 |
20 |
|
Current Aid Position | ||||
|
Food aid pledges |
3 |
2 |
- |
5 |
|
of which: Delivered |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) |
16 |
89 |
28 |
133 |
|
Indexes | ||||
|
1996 production as % of normal: |
97 |
|||
|
1997 import requirement as % of normal: |
101 |
|||
|
1997 food aid requirement as % of normal: |
57 |