BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Area: 741 000 sq.km
Climate: Tropical wet-dry, one rainy season (November-April)
Population: 9.20 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 350 (1994)
Specific characteristics of the country: Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country
Logistics: Imports through Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); inadequate rail and road connections
Major foodcrops: Maize, roots, tubers
Marketing year: May/April; Lean season: March-May
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: 70 percent
CURRENT SITUATION
The total production of the recently harvested cereal crop is estimated at 1.6 million tons, 78 percent higher than the drought-affected harvest in 1995. The maize crop is now estimated at 1.41 million tons. This is slightly below earlier estimates on account of continued rains in May/June when the crop was being harvested and was drying, but it is still above average and double last year’s output.
The food supply situation in the country is expected to improve considerably during the 1996/97 marketing year. Total cereal availability is expected to cover domestic needs including the replenishment of depleted stock reserves. The Government recently issued export permits to private traders for 50 000 tons of maize. With the continued arrival of new grains in the market, especially from South Africa, prices of maize are expected to continue to fall.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | 53 | 9 | 1 348 | 1 410 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 35 | 4 | 65 | 104 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 25 | - | 45 | 70 |
| 1996 Production | 60 | 9 | 1 496 | 1 565 |
| 1996/97 Utilization | 105 | 14 | 1 496 | 1 615 |
| Food use | 100 | 12 | 1 121 | 1 233 |
| Non-food use | 5 | 2 | 275 | 282 |
| Possible stock build-up | - | - | 50 | 50 |
| Exports | - | - | 50 | 50 |
| 1996/97 Import Requirement | 45 | 5 | - | 50 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 45 | 5 | - | 50 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Emergency | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 11 | 11 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 12 | 1 | 129 | 142 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1996 production as % of normal: | 111 | |||
| 1996/97 import requirement as % of normal: | 48 | |||
| 1996/97 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | - | |||