FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report 02/97

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GUINEA

Area:

246 000 sq.km

Climate:

Tropical wet-dry; one rainy season: March/June to October/November

Population:

6.9 million (1996 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 510 (1993)

Specific characteristics of the country:

Low-income food-deficit country; mountainous coastal country

Logistics:

Ports and roads inadequate

Major foodcrops:

Rice, roots and tubers, coarse grains

Marketing year:

January/December; Lean season: July-September

Share of cereals in total calorie intake:

52 percent



CURRENT SITUATION

Seasonably dry conditions prevail. As a result of below normal but widespread rainfall during the growing season and scarcity of fertilizers, the first estimates for 1996 cereal output point to 900 000 tons (including paddy rice), which is about average.

Markets are well supplied following the harvest of the main foodcrops. The cereal import requirement for 1997 is anticipated to be around 360 000 tons of wheat and rice. By mid-December, it was estimated that about 650 000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees were in Guinea. With the ongoing peace process in Liberia and Sierra Leone, refugees are likely to begin returning. The caseload of refugees targeted for food aid distribution from January 1997 amounts at 293 000 Liberians and 173 000 Sierra-Leoneans.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1997 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)

Wheat

Rice

Coarse grains

Total

Normal Production (rice in paddy terms)

-

700

215

915

Normal Imports

105

230

2

337

of which: Structural food aid

1

10

2

13

1997 Domestic Availability

5

457

227

689

1996 Production (rice in paddy terms)

-

678

222

900

1996 Production (rice in milled terms)

-

452

222

674

Possible stock drawdown

5

5

5

15

1997 Utilization

115

702

232

1 049

Food Use

112

562

192

866

of which: local purchase requirement

-

-

-

-

Non-food use

3

140

40

183

Exports or Re-exports

-

-

-

-

Possible stock build up

-

-

-

-

1997 Import Requirement

110

245

5

360

Anticipated commercial imports

105

235

-

340

Food aid needs

5

10

5

20

Current Aid Position





Food aid pledges

3

-

-

3

of which: Delivered

-

-

-

-

Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year)

16

82

28

126

Indexes





1996 production as % of normal:




98

1997 import requirement as % of normal:




107

1997 food aid requirement as % of normal:




154


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