FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.1 - May 2003 p.6
Prospects for 2003 cereal crops, about to be harvested, are favourable. Cereal production in 2003 is provisionally estimated at 607 000 tonnes, 10 percent higher than last year and 8 percent above the average of the last five years. Cereal import requirements in 2003/04 are estimated at 656 000 tonnes, including a food aid requirement of 180 000 tonnes. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment will visit the country in mid-May.
| CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 2003/04 MARKETING YEAR (April/March) | ||||
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse Grains | Total Cereals | |
| [ | thousand tonnes | ] | ||
| Previous year production | - | 4 | 546 | 550 |
| Previous five years average production | 4 | 6 | 550 | 560 |
| Previous year imports | 281 | 127 | 259 | 667 |
| Previous five years average imports | 292 | 113 | 183 | 588 |
| 2003/04 Domestic Availability | 5 | 15 | 600 | 620 |
| 2003 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 5 | 7 | 595 | 607 |
| 2003 Production (rice in milled terms) | 5 | 5 | 595 | 605 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| 2003/04 Utilization | 305 | 145 | 826 | 1 276 |
| Food use | 301 | 142 | 742 | 1 185 |
| Non-food use | 4 | 3 | 84 | 91 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2003/04 Import Requirement | 300 | 130 | 226 | 656 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 280 | 130 | 66 | 476 |
| of which: received or contracted | - | - | - | - |
| Food aid needs | 20 | - | 160 | 180 |
| 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) | 19 | 9 | 46 | 74 |
| Indexes | [ | percentage | ] | |
| 2003 Prod. compared to average (rice paddy terms): | 125 | 117 | 108 | 108 |
| 2003/04 Import requirement compared to average: | 103 | 115 | 123 | 112 |
| Cereal share of total calorie intake: | 32 | |||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Major foodcrops: | roots; tubers; maize; plantains | |||
| Lean season: | January-April | |||
| Population (000s): | 16 127 | |||
| GNP per capita in 2001 (US$): | 500 | |||