Area:
|
1.22 million sq.km
|
Climate:
|
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
|
Population:
|
44.295 million (1998 estimate); GNP per caput US$ 3 400 (1997)
|
Specific characteristics of the country:
|
Normally net food exporter, notably maize
|
Logistics:
|
Adequate port, rail and road facilities
|
|
Major foodcrops:
|
Maize, wheat
|
Marketing year:
|
May/April; Lean season: February-April
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
|
54 percent
|
Heavy rains through mid-February over crop growing areas were followed by a prolonged dry spell in late February and early March, raising concerns that yields in some areas might be reduced due to water-logging or dryness. Preliminary official estimates of plantings indicate a reduction of area sown to maize to 2.9 million hectares from 3.0 million hectares last year. Part of the explanation appears to be that farmers are switching to more lucrative crops such as sunflowers that showed a 48 percent increase in plantings to 0.8 million hectares. Some producers also shifted to planting groundnuts or left fields fallow.
Total 1999 maize output is forecast at 6.5 million tonnes, slightly below last year's production. The official estimate of the 1998/99 winter wheat crop currently stands at 1.5 million tonnes, 36 percent below the 1997/98 level and below average, a response to low international and domestic prices. Aggregate cereal output in 1998 stands at 9.6 million tonnes, some 20 percent lower than the previous year's above-average crop. Despite the decrease in production, the total cereal availability has enabled the country to have an exportable surplus due to large carryover stocks.
|
Wheat
|
Rice
|
Coarse grains
|
Total
| |
|
Normal Production
|
1 835
|
3
|
8 830
|
10 668
|
Normal Imports
|
434
|
367
|
1 717
|
2 518
|
of which: Structural food aid
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1998/99 Domestic Availability
|
1 819
|
102
|
8 299
|
10 220
|
1998 Production (rice in paddy terms)
|
1 469
|
3
|
8 124
|
9 596
|
1998 Production (rice in milled terms)
|
1 469
|
2
|
8 124
|
9 595
|
Possible stock drawdown
|
350
|
100
|
175
|
625
|
|
1998/99 Utilization
|
2 819
|
549
|
9 021
|
12 389
|
Food Use
|
2 465
|
499
|
4 605
|
7 569
|
of which: local purchase requirement
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Non-food use
|
154
|
50
|
3 906
|
4 110
|
Exports or Re-exports
|
200
|
-
|
510
|
710
|
Possible stock build up
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1998/99 Import Requirement
|
1 000
|
447
|
722
|
2 169
|
Anticipated commercial imports
|
1 000
|
447
|
722
|
2 169
|
Food aid needs
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Current Aid Position
|
||||
Food aid pledges
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
of which: Delivered
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Donor-financed purchases
|
-
|
-
|
170
|
170
|
of which: for local use
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
for export
|
-
|
-
|
170
|
170
|
|
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year)
|
56
|
11
|
104
|
171
|
Indexes
|
||||
1998 production as % of normal:
|
91
| |||
1998/99 import requirement as % of normal:
|
-
| |||
1998/99 food aid requirement as % of normal:
|
-
|
