FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2, August 1999 BENIN 2

Area:	111 000 sq.km
Climate:	Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons in south (Mar.-Jul. and Oct.) and one in north (May-Oct.)
Population:	5.68 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput US$ 380 (1997)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
Logistics:	Ports, roads, rail adequate; gateway to Niger
Major foodcrops:	Roots and tubers, maize
Marketing year:	January/December; Lean season: April-June
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	37 percent

CURRENT SITUATION

The rainy season started in early March, with sufficient rainfall over the south to allow planting of the first maize crop. Rainfall decreased in May and early June but remained generally sufficient for adequate crop development, excepted in the north where some replanting may have occurred in localized areas for sorghum and millet. Although rainfall remained widespread over the whole country in June, crop condition is normal to below normal.

The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. The reduced demand from sahelian countries that experimented a good harvest in 1998, is allowing prices to remain at a low level. The cereal import requirement for 1999 (January/December) is estimated at 200 000 tonnes (including re-exports) of wheat and rice.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1999 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tonnes)

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal Production	-	12	605	617
Normal Imports	50	150	8	208
of which: Structural food aid	4	4	8	16
1999 Domestic Availability	-	15	775	790
1998 Production (rice in paddy terms)	-	25	775	800
1998 Production (rice in milled terms)	-	15	775	790
Possible stock drawdown	-	-	-	-
1999 Utilization	60	155	775	990
Food Use	50	74	525	649
of which: local purchase requirement	-	-	-	-
Non-food use	-	4	215	219
Exports or Re-exports	10	75	25	110
Possible stock build up	-	2	10	12
1999 Import Requirement	60	140¹^/	-	200
Anticipated commercial imports	55	140	-	195
Food aid needs	5	-	-	5
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	2	5	1	8
of which: Delivered	2	5	1	8
Donor-financed purchases	-	-	-	-
of which: for local use	-	-	-	-
for export	-	-	-	-
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year)	9	13	92	114
Indexes
1998 production as % of normal:				130
1999 import requirement as % of normal:				96
1999 food aid requirement as % of normal:				31

1/ Includes 75 000 tonnes of re-exports of rice.