Africa report 05/96 Individual countries

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

Area:	96 000 sq.km
Climate:	Tropical wet; rainfall increases with altitude and towards southern parts of the islands
Population:	133 000 (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 330 (1993)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; archipelago
Logistics:	Ports and roads adequate
Major foodcrops:	Bananas, breadfruit, cocoyam
Marketing year:	January/December
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	36 percent

CURRENT SITUATION

The staple foodcrops are roots, tubers and plantains.The country imports annually around 10 000 tons of wheat and rice. The cereal import requirement in 1996 was estimated at 12 000 tons, including some 8 000 tons as food aid.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1996 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal production	-	-	-	-
Normal imports (incl. re-exports)	4	5	3	12
of which: Structural food aid	1	2	2	5
1995 Production	-	-	-	-
1996 Utilization	4	5	3	12
Food use	4	4	3	11
Other uses	-	1	-	1
1996 Import Requirement	4	5	3	12
Anticipated commercial imports	2	2	-	4
Food aid needs	2	3	3	8
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	1	-	-	1
of which: Delivered	-	-	-	-
Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year)	30	30	23	83
Indexes
1995 production as % of normal:				-
1996 import requirement as % of normal:				100
1996 food aid requirement as % of normal:				100

FAO/GIEWS - April 1996