| Area: | 318 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons (March-July and September-December) in south and one in north |
| Population: | 14.90 million (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 690 (1997) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads adequate; gateway to Burkina Faso and Mali |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots and tubers, fruit, rice, maize |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: April to July |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 40 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Reduced rainfall in September and early October is likely to have reduced the yield of the main upland rice crop, which is currently being harvested. However, in the north, the rainfall situation has been satisfactory and could partly compensate for the reduced output in the south.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory with the marketing of the new crop. Repatriation of about 140 000 Liberian refugees who are still in the western departments is underway. The cereal import requirement for 1998 (January/December) is estimated at 620 000 tonnes, mostly wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | - | 950 | 700 | 1 650 |
| Normal Imports | 220 | 280 | 20 | 520 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Domestic Availability | - | 510 | 753 | 1 263 |
| 1997 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 850 | 752 | 1 602 |
| 1997 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 510 | 752 | 1 262 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 Utilization | 255 | 870 | 758 | 1 883 |
| Food Use | 250 | 742 | 559 | 1 551 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 5 | 128 | 189 | 322 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 10 | 10 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Import Requirement | 255 | 360 | 5 | 620 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 255 | 320 | 5 | 580 |
| Food aid needs | - | 40 | - | 40 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 46 | 3 | 49 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 19 | 2 | 21 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 17 | 50 | 38 | 104 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1997 production as % of normal: | 97 | |||
| 1998 import requirement as % of normal: | 119 | |||
| 1998 food aid requirement as % of normal: | - |
