|
Area: |
1.22 million sq.km |
|
Climate: |
Sub-tropical with rains concentrated in the summer months (November-April); |
|
occasional snow in winter over higher parts of plateau and Cape ranges; an average of |
120 days frost in the interior plateau |
|
Population: |
42.38 million (1996 estimate); GNP per caput U.S.$ 2 902 (1993) |
|
Specific characteristics of the country: |
Normally net food exporter, notably maize |
|
Logistics: |
Adequate port, rail and road facilities |
|
Major foodcrops: |
Maize, wheat |
|
Marketing year: |
May/April; Lean season: February-April |
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: |
54 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Planting of the 1996/97 coarse grains is now complete under generally favourable conditions. Widespread rains received in late October and much of November throughout the eastern corn belt, encouraged large plantings of maize. In the west, most crop growing areas received adequate preplanting rains in November. Overall, rains across main producing areas have been sufficient and even excessive in some areas in December and January, resulting in delays in planting. Crops are now at late vegetative to tasseling stages. Prospects for harvest remain favourable but dry conditions persist across northern provinces which may result in water stress for the crops. Early forecasts of the 1997 maize crop point to an output of 7.7 million tons, 23 percent less than the current bumper crop of 10 million tons. This is largely the result of planting delays caused by continued heavy rains in growing areas.
Estimates of the recently harvested 1996 winter wheat have been revised upwards to 2.8 million tons compared to 2.0 million tons in 1995, as a result of favourable rainfall in major growing areas of Western Cape and Free State provinces.
|
Wheat |
Rice |
Coarse grains |
Total |
|
|
Normal Production (rice in paddy terms) |
1 835 |
3 |
8 830 |
10 668 |
|
Normal Exports |
434 |
367 |
1 717 |
2 518 |
|
of which: Structural food aid |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1996/97 Domestic Availability |
2 753 |
2 |
11 034 |
13 789 |
|
1996 Production (rice in paddy terms) |
2 753 |
3 |
10 851 |
13 607 |
|
1996 Production (rice in milled terms) |
2 753 |
2 |
10 851 |
13 606 |
|
Possible stock drawdown |
- |
- |
183 |
183 |
|
1996/97 Utilization |
2 693 |
484 |
11 324 |
14 501 |
|
Food Use |
2 360 |
464 |
4 413 |
7 237 |
|
of which: local purchase requirement |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Non-food use |
153 |
20 |
4 241 |
4 414 |
|
Exports or Re-exports |
180 |
- |
2 670 |
2 850 |
|
Possible stock build up |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1996/97 Import Requirement |
100 |
482 |
290 |
872 |
|
Anticipated commercial imports |
100 |
482 |
290 |
872 |
|
Food aid needs |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Current Aid Position | ||||
|
Food aid pledges |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
of which: Delivered |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Donor-financed purchases for export |
- |
- |
50 |
50 |
|
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) |
56 |
11 |
104 |
171 |
|
Indexes | ||||
|
1996 production as % of normal: |
128 |
|||
|
1996/97 import requirement as % of normal: |
113 |
|||
|
1996/97 food aid requirement as % of normal: |
0 |