| Area: | 2 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | No dry months, most rainfall in November-July; tropical cyclones |
| Population: | 1.1 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 2 980 (1993) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Cereal consumption covered almost entirely by imports |
| Logistics: | Inadequate port handling capacity; road system good |
| Major foodcrops: | Vegetables |
| Marketing year: | January/December |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 48 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
With the bulk of the cultivated area normally devoted to sugar cane and most of the remainder to fruits and vegetables, very little cereal crop is grown. As a consequence, the country is virtually dependent on imports to meet its cereal needs.
For 1995, the cereal import requirement is estimated at 170 000 tons, all to be imported commercially.
Mauritius became the twelfth member country of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in August 1995, following the admission of South Africa in 1994 and Namibia in 1990.
CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1995 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 72 | 75 | 25 | 172 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 5 | 1 | - | 6 |
| 1994 Production | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 Utilization | 73 | 76 | 23 | 172 |
| Food use | 73 | 75 | 2 | 150 |
| Non-food use | - | 1 | 21 | 22 |
| 1995 Import Requirement | 73 | 76 | 21 | 170 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 73 | 76 | 21 | 170 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| of which: Delivered | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 66 | 68 | 2 | 136 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1994 production as % of normal: | 100 | |||
| 1995 import requirement as % of normal: | 99 | |||
| 1995 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | - | |||