FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report - March 1998:

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Area:	28 000 sq.km
Climate:	Tropical wet climate
Population:	422 000 (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 380 (1995)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
Logistics:	Ports and roads inadequate
Major foodcrops:	Cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas
Marketing year:	January/December; Lean season: September-November
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	12 percent

CURRENT SITUATION
The staple foodcrops are sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains. Some 10 000 tonnes of wheat and rice are imported annually. The food aid requirement in 1998 is estimated at 2 000 tonnes of wheat.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1998 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal Production	-	-	-	-
Normal Imports	4	5	-	9
of which: Structural food aid	2	-	-	2
1998 Domestic Availability	-	-	-	-
1997 Production (rice in paddy terms)	-	-	-	-
1997 Production (rice in milled terms)	-	-	-	-
Possible stock drawdown	-	-	-	-
1998 Utilization	4	5	-	9
Food Use	4	5	-	9
of which: local purchase requirement	-	-	-	-
Non-food use	-	-	-	-
Exports or Re-exports	-	-	-	-
Possible stock build up	-	-	-	-
1998 Import Requirement	4	5	-	9
Anticipated commercial imports	3	4	-	7
Food aid needs	1	1	-	2
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	-	1	-	1
of which: Delivered	-	-	-	-
Donor-financed purchases	-	-	-	-
of which: for local use	-	-	-	-
for export	-	-	-	-
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year)	10	12	-	21
Indexes
1997 production as % of normal:				-
1998 import requirement as % of normal:				100
1998 food aid requirement as % of normal:				100