Area:
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886 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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Tropical wet-dry climate with two rainy seasons in north (November-December and March-May) and one in south (November-April)
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Population:
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32.30 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 210 (1997)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; cereal surplus production in south and south-west; cereal deficit in central and north-west. Distribution difficulties
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Logistics:
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Serious shortage of rolling stock, fuel and spare parts
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Major foodcrops:
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Maize, roots, tubers, sorghum, pulses, plantains, rice
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Marketing year:
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June/May; Lean season: February-April
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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60 percent
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The harvesting season is near completion and official reports indicate that there are serious localised crop failures in several regions, particularly in Shinyanga Region, where cash and food crop production is anticipated to fall by as much as 40 percent. Preliminary estimates indicate total cereal production (maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and millet) in 1999 at 3.79 million tonnes, about 9 percent below last year's output due to erratic rains, reduced use of improved seeds and fertilizers and an outbreak of armyworms. By contrast, prospects for non-cereal crops (pulses, potatoes, cassava and plantains) are reported to be good.
With the onset of the dry season in central and northern parts of the country, the outlook for pastoralists is unfavorable due to reduced pasture and water supplies. In Dodoma and Singida Regions, where many households have been receiving food assistance since October 1998 the food supply situation has improved with the new harvest. Nationally maize prices have declined since April with the harvest and commercial sale of Government imports, but still remain much higher than at the same period last year. The Government is building stocks, with import plans of 175 000 tonnes, of which 50 000 have already arrived.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 85 | 607 | 3 230 | 3 922 |
| Normal Imports | 60 | 25 | - | 85 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 15 | 15 | - | 30 |
| 1999/2000 Domestic Availability | 100 | 598 | 3 100 | 3 798 |
| 1999 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 90 | 920 | 3 100 | 4 110 |
| 1999 Production (rice in milled terms) | 90 | 598 | 3 100 | 3 788 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 10 | - | - | 10 |
| 1999/2000 Utilization | 140 | 628 | 3 700 | 4 468 |
| Food Use | 135 | 454 | 3 114 | 3 703 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Non-food use | 5 | 24 | 586 | 615 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | 150 | - | 150 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1999/2000 Import Requirement | 40 | 30 | 600 | 670 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 40 | 25 | 530 | 595 |
| Food aid needs | - | 5 | 70 | 75 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 4 | 14 | 96 | 115 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1999 production as % of normal: | 105 | |||
| 1999/2000 import requirement as % of normal: | 788 | |||
| 1999/2000 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 250 |
