Area:
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1.22 million sq.km
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Climate:
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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
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Population:
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40.38 million (2000 estimate); GNP per caput US$3 160 (1999)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Normally net food exporter, notably maize
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Logistics:
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Adequate port, rail and road facilities
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Major foodcrops:
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Maize, wheat
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Marketing year:
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May/April; Lean season: February-April
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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54 percent
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Prospects for the 2001 maize crop are unfavourable. Well below-average rains and high temperatures in January and early February, particularly in western growing areas, stressed developing crops. Rains in mid-February provided relief to the affected areas but arrived too late to prevent yield reductions. Dry weather resumed in late February and March, worsening growing conditions. Preliminary forecast point to a maize output of 7.2 million tonnes, 34 percent below last year's good level. This reflects the insufficient precipitation but also a decrease of 17 percent in the area sown, due to low domestic prices at planting time.
Production estimates of the 2000 wheat crop have been revised upwards to 2.1 million tonnes, one-third above the poor harvest of the previous year and above average.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 2 093 | 3 | 8 527 | 10 623 |
| Normal Exports | 631 | 486 | 544 | 1 661 |
| 2000/01 Domestic Availability | 2 122 | 2 | 11 606 | 13 730 |
| 2000 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 2 122 | 3 | 11 606 | 13 731 |
| 2000 Production (rice in milled terms) | 2 122 | 2 | 11 606 | 13 730 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2000/01 Utilization | 2 822 | 602 | 11 877 | 15 301 |
| Food Use | 2 439 | 532 | 4 581 | 7 552 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 140 | 60 | 4 203 | 4 403 |
| Exports or Re-exports | 50 | - | 1 800 | 1 850 |
| Possible stock build up | 193 | 10 | 1 293 | 1 496 |
| 2000/01 Import Requirement | 700 | 600 | 271 | 1 571 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 700 | 600 | 270 | 1 570 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 144 | 144 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | 144 | 144 |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 60 | 13 | 114 | 187 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2000 production as % of average: | 129 | |||
| 2000/01 import requirement as % of average: | 95 |
