| Area: | 246 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; one rainy season: March/June to October/November |
| Population: | 7.0 million (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 570 (1997) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; mountainous coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots and tubers, coarse grains |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: July-September |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 52 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Following widespread and abundant rainfall during the whole growing season, the main cereal crops are being harvested and prospects for the 1998 output are favourable.
Latest estimates put the total number of Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea at 614 000, of whom about 414 000 are Sierra Leoneans and 200 000 are Liberians. Organised repatriation is underway for the Liberian refugees and about 80 000 have been repatriated since the beginning of the year. However, new refugees have arrived from neighbouring Guinea Bissau, fleeing the on-going conflict.
The cereal import requirement for 1998 is estimated at 410 000 tonnes, mostly wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | - | 720 | 200 | 920 |
| Normal Imports | - | 110 | 260 | 370 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 1 | 32 | 2 | 35 |
| 1998 Domestic Availability | - | 472 | 204 | 676 |
| 1997 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 707 | 204 | 911 |
| 1997 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 472 | 204 | 676 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Utilization | 115 | 742 | 229 | 1 086 |
| Food Use | 112 | 626 | 192 | 930 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 3 | 106 | 37 | 146 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | 10 | - | 10 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Import Requirement | 115 | 270 | 25 | 410 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 115 | 260 | 25 | 400 |
| Food aid needs | - | 10 | - | 10 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 7 | - | 7 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 16 | 90 | 28 | 133 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1997 production as % of normal: | 99 | |||
| 1998 import requirement as % of normal: | 111 | |||
| 1998 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 29 |
