| Area: | 318 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons (March-July and September-December) in south and one in north |
| Population: | 13.9 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 630 (1993) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads adequate; gateway to Burkina Faso and Mali |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots and tubers, fruit, rice, maize |
| Marketing year: | July/June; Lean season: April to July |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 40 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Following abundant rains during the second dekad of September, rains decreased significantly over the extreme south and the Gagnoa and Agboville regions in late September and early October but resumed in mid October in the east and in late October in the west. In the south, the second maize crop is elongating/flowering. In the north, millet and sorghum are being harvested.
Food distribution continues for Liberian refugees, currently estimated at some 305 000. Refugees are located all along the western frontier of Côte d’Ivoire, from Danane-Guiglo, and around Tabou in the south. In the 1995/96 marketing year, the cereal import requirement is estimated at 590 000 tons, mostly wheat and rice.
CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1995/96 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | - | 459 | 600 | 1 050 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 225 | 250 | 18 | 493 |
| of which: Structural food aid | - | 50 | - | 50 |
| 1995/96 Domestic availability | - | 455 | 625 | 1 080 |
| 1995 Production | - | 450 | 615 | 1 065 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| 1995/96 Utilization | 250 | 755 | 662 | 1 667 |
| Food use | 245 | 715 | 502 | 1 462 |
| Non-food use | 5 | 40 | 155 | 200 |
| Exports | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| 1995/96 Import Requirement | 250 | 300 | 37 | 587 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 250 | 250 | 37 | 537 |
| Food aid needs | - | 50 | - | 50 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 45 | - | 45 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 11 | - | 11 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 17 | 50 | 35 | 102 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1995 production as % of normal: | 101 | |||
| 1995/96 import requirement as % of normal: | 119 | |||
| 1995/96 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | 100 | |||