| Area: | 17 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Highland rainy climate. One rainy season (October-April); cool temperatures in May- September |
| Population: | 0.936 million (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 1 170 (1995) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country |
| Logistics: | Good road network; imports through Mozambique or South Africa |
| Major foodcrops: | Maize |
| Marketing year: | May/April; Lean season: February-April |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 55 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Above-normal rains in early October and moderate precipitation at the end of the month allowed the sowing of the 1998/99 maize crop, which normally accounts for some 96 percent of the aggregate cereal production.
As a result of a larger sown area and favourable weather, the 1998 cereal production increased by 26 percent to 111 000 tonnes. The food supply situation is expected to remain satisfactory until the end of the 1998/99 marketing year due to adequate domestic availability of cereals and planned commercial imports of 48 000 tonnes of wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 1 | 3 | 116 | 120 |
| Normal Imports | 25 | 2 | 20 | 47 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 8 | - | 1 | 9 |
| 1998/99 Domestic Availability | - | 2 | 108 | 110 |
| 1998 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 3 | 108 | 111 |
| 1998 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 2 | 108 | 110 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 1998/99 Utilization | 40 | 10 | 123 | 173 |
| Food Use | 38 | 10 | 101 | 149 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | 2 | - | 2 | 4 |
| 1998/99 Import Requirement | 40 | 8 | 15 | 63 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 40 | 8 | 15 | 63 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 41 | 11 | 109 | 160 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1998 production as % of normal: | 93 | |||
| 1998/99 import requirement as % of normal: | 134 | |||
| 1998/99 food aid requirement as % of normal: | - |
