| Area: | 2 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; one hot rainy season with cyclone probability; June-October dry and cool |
| Population: | 0.729 million (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 470 (1995) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; archipelago of four small islands |
| Logistics: | - |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots, tubers, bananas and coconuts |
| Marketing year: | January/December |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 44 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Most of the country’s agricultural land is planted to cash crops, bananas and root crops. Only one-quarter of the cereal requirement is produced locally and, consequently, there is a structural deficit of some 46 000 tonnes of cereals, largely covered by commercial imports. Food aid needs are estimated at 10 000 tonnes.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | - | 17 | 4 | 21 |
| Normal Imports | 5 | 35 | - | 40 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 1 | 5 | - | 6 |
| 1998 Domestic Availability | - | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| 1998 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| 1998 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| 1998 Utilization | 6 | 52 | 4 | 62 |
| Food Use | 6 | 50 | 2 | 58 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Import Requirement | 6 | 40 | - | 46 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 5 | 31 | - | 36 |
| Food aid needs | 1 | 9 | - | 10 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 5 | - | 5 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 3 | - | 3 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 8 | 69 | 3 | 80 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1998 production as % of normal: | 90 | |||
| 1998 import requirement as % of normal: | 115 | |||
| 1998 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 167 |
