BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Area: 10 000 sq.km
Climate: Tropical wet-dry climate; one rainy season: May-October
Population: 941 000 (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 360 (1994)
Specific characteristics of the country: Low-income food-deficit country; coastal Sahelian country
Logistics: Port capacity and roads adequate
Major foodcrops: Rice, millet and sorghum
Marketing year: November/October; Lean season: July-September
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: 63 percent
CURRENT SITUATION
Crop development is satisfactory following good rains in late August. Rains decreased significantly in early August but resumed in mid-August and became abundant during the last dekad of the month. These rains benefitted crop development. Coarse grains are elongating. Rice is being transplanted. The pest situation is calm.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. The rice market is well supplied but prices are higher than last year, due to higher international prices. The cereal import requirement for the 1995/96 marketing year (November/October) is estimated at 100 000 tons and the food aid requirement at 11 000 tons. So far 5 000 tons have been pledged and 3 500 tons delivered.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | - | 14 | 79 | 93 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 30 | 50 | 3 | 83 |
| of which: Structural food aid | - | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 1995/96 Domestic availability | - | 22 | 78 | 100 |
| 1995 Production | - | 17 | 75 | 92 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 1995/96 Utilization | 30 | 82 | 88 | 200 |
| Food use | 24 | 75 | 74 | 173 |
| Non-food use | 1 | 2 | 14 | 17 |
| (Re-)Exports | 5 | 5 | - | 10 |
| 1995/96 Import Requirement | 30 | 60 | 10 | 100 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 30 | 56 | 3 | 89 |
| Food aid needs | - | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| of which: Exceptional | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 22 | 68 | 66 | 156 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1995 production as % of normal: | 99 | |||
| 1995/96 import requirement as % of normal: | 120 | |||
| 1995/96 food aid requirement as % of normal | 157 | |||