Africa report 05/96 Individual countries

MAURITIUS

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 1996, the cereal import requirement is estimated at 174 000 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 1996 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
1995 Production	-	-	2	2
1996 Utilization	75	76	25	176
Food use	75	75	2	152
Non-food use	-	1	23	24
1996 Import Requirement	75	76	23	174
Anticipated commercial imports	75	76	23	174
Food aid needs	-	-	-	-
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	-	-	-	-
of which: Delivered	-	-	-	-
Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year)	66	68	2	136
Indexes
1995 production as % of normal:				100
1996 import requirement as % of normal:				101
1996 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs):				-

FAO/GIEWS - April 1996