FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - September 2005 p.42
The 2005 cereal production is estimated at about 2 million tonnes, some 4 percent below last year’s level. Import requirements are estimated at 869 000 tonnes, mainly rice and wheat, but also maize meal for southern areas, because moving maize from the surplus areas of North to the South remains uncompetitive due to high internal transport costs. Commercial imports are estimated at 824 000 tonnes and food aid at 45 000 tonnes.
| CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 2005/06 MARKETING YEAR (April/March) | ||||
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse Grains | Total Cereals | |
| [ | thousand tonnes | ] | ||
| Previous year production (incl. paddy rice) | 1 | 187 | 1 817 | 2 005 |
| Previous five years average production (incl. paddy rice) | 1 | 175 | 1 573 | 1 749 |
| Previous year imports | 377 | 338 | 56 | 771 |
| Previous five years average imports | 286 | 274 | 155 | 715 |
| 2005/06 Domestic Availability | 1 | 116 | 1 746 | 1 863 |
| 2005 Production (incl. paddy rice) | 1 | 174 | 1 746 | 1 921 |
| 2005 Production (incl. milled rice) | 1 | 116 | 1 746 | 1 863 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2005/06 Utilization | 353 | 458 | 1 921 | 2 732 |
| Food use | 353 | 430 | 1 444 | 2 227 |
| Non-food use | - | 28 | 327 | 355 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | 150 | 150 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2005/06 Import Requirement | 352 | 342 | 175 | 869 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 352 | 342 | 130 | 824 |
| of which: received or contracted | 97 | 41 | 77 | 215 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | 45 | 45 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 25 | 2 | 10 | 37 |
| of which: delivered | - | 2 | 10 | 12 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 7 | 7 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | 7 | 7 |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 18 | 22 | 74 | 114 |
| Indexes | [ | percentage | ] | |
| 2005 Production compared to average (incl. paddy rice) | 100 | 99 | 111 | 110 |
| 2005/06 Import requirement compared to average | 123 | 125 | 113 | 122 |
| Cereal share of total calorie intake | 43 | |||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Major foodcrops | roots; tubers; maize | |||
| Lean season | February-April | |||
| Population (000s) | 19 537 | |||
| GNI per capita in 2003 (US$) | 210 | |||