Area:
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911 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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Mostly tropical wet-dry, south-west tropical wet, extreme north semi-arid
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Population:
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117 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 260 (1997)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
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Logistics:
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Ports adequate, roads inadequate during rainy season
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Major foodcrops:
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Roots and tubers, coarse grains, rice
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Marketing year:
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January/December; Lean season: April-May
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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43 percent
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Limited rainfall started in mid February in the south and increased in March, allowing the planting of the first maize crop and land preparation for rainfed rice planting. Rains remained limited in the north and reached the extreme north only in late May, being about one month late. This has led to a late planting and hampered the development of millet and sorghum crops in the northern states, which is reflected by satellite imagery showing below normal vegetation in these areas.
Food supply is still constrained by high levels of post-harvest losses and high distribution costs. The cereal import requirement for 1999 is estimated at 1 250 000 tonnes, including 1.05 million tonnes of wheat and 150 000 tonnes of rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 45 | 2 800 | 16 970 | 19 815 |
| Normal Imports | 850 | 350 | 80 | 1 280 |
| of which: Structural food aid | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 Domestic Availability | 98 | 2 025 | 19 345 | 21 468 |
| 1998 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 98 | 3 375 | 19 335 | 22 808 |
| 1998 Production (rice in milled terms) | 98 | 2 025 | 19 335 | 21 458 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 10 | 10 |
| 1999 Utilization | 1 148 | 2 175 | 19 395 | 22 718 |
| Food Use | 1 108 | 1 775 | 15 016 | 17 899 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 40 | 400 | 3 929 | 4 369 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 450 | 450 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 Import Requirement | 1 050 | 150 | 50 | 1 250 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 1 050 | 150 | 50 | 1 250 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 9 | 15 | 128 | 153 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1998 production as % of normal: | 115 | |||
| 1999 import requirement as % of normal: | 98 | |||
| 1999 food aid requirement as % of normal: | - |