BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Area: 465 000 sq.km
Climate: North: tropical wet-dry, south: tropical wet; length of rainy season declines from 11 months in south to 4 months in extreme north
Population: 12.87 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 680 (1994)
Specific characteristics of the country: Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
Logistics: Ports and roads adequate; gateway to Chad
Major foodcrops: Roots and tubers, coarse grains, fruit
Marketing year: July/June; Lean season: June-August
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: 39 percent
CURRENT SITUATION
Following abundant rains in late June and early July, precipitation ceased in the south during the second and third dekads of July. It resumed in August but remained weak over the south while heavy rains occurred over the rest of the country during the whole month. The harvest of millet and sorghum is underway in the south, while rice is growing satisfactorily in the centre.
The cereal import requirement for 1996/97 (including re-export) is estimated at 340 000 tons mostly wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | 1 | 61 | 1 000 | 1 062 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 215 | 130 | 15 | 360 |
| of which: Structural food aid | - | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 1996/97 Domestic availability | 1 | 54 | 1 055 | 1 110 |
| 1996 Production | 1 | 54 | 1 015 | 1 070 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 40 | 40 |
| 1996/97 Utilization | 211 | 164 | 1 075 | 1 450 |
| Food use | 197 | 139 | 820 | 1 156 |
| Non-food use | 4 | 5 | 255 | 264 |
| Re-exports | 10 | 20 | - | 30 |
| 1996/97 Import Requirement | 210 | 110 | 20 | 340 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 210 | 105 | 20 | 335 |
| Food aid needs | - | 5 | - | 5 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 15 | 10 | 60 | 85 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1996 production as % of normal: | 101 | |||
| 1996/97 import requirement as % of normal: | 94 | |||
| 1996/97 food aid requirement as % of normal | 100 | |||