Area: |
784 000 sq.km |
Climate: |
Tropical wet-dry; coast is semi-arid |
Population: |
19.57 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P.
per caput: US$230 (1999) |
Specific characteristics of the
country: |
Low-income food-deficit country;
exposed to tropical storms and cyclones |
Logistics: |
Dilapidated rail and road transport
fleet; lack of fuel and spares; poor roads; substantial deliveries by coastal vessels |
Major foodcrops: |
Roots, tubers, maize |
Marketing year: |
April/March; Lean season:
February-April |
Share of cereals in total calorie
intake: |
53 percent |
Above-average rains in the third dekad of October, particularly in the main central and northern growing areas, provided adequate soil moisture for planting of the 2001 cereal crops and benefited early-sowed crops. In southern provinces, where planting starts earlier, good rains in the second half of September and early October favoured field operations. The rains of the past months also benefited pastures and livestock conditions.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. In the main growing areas of the north and centre, prices remain stable and are below their level of a year ago. In southern areas affected by severe floods earlier in the year, a good output of the secondary crop season and the rehabilitation of most roads, have improved significantly supply and marketing of food. However, food assistance is still required until the next main harvest in April 2001 for some 172 000 food insecure people, including those most affected by the flood damage.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | - | 162 | 1 345 | 1 507 |
| Previous five years average imports | 165 | 59 | 65 | 289 |
| 2000/01 Domestic Availability | 10 | 106 | 1 309 | 1 425 |
| 2000 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 140 | 1 292 | 1 432 |
| 2000 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 93 | 1 292 | 1 385 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 10 | 13 | 17 | 40 |
| 2000/01 Utilization | 180 | 246 | 1 412 | 1 838 |
| Food Use | 172 | 231 | 1 122 | 1 525 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| Non-food use | 8 | 15 | 245 | 268 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 45 | 45 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2000/01 Import Requirement | 170 | 140 | 103 | 413 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 170 | 140 | 60 | 370 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | 43 | 43 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 85 | 12 | 26 | 123 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 5 | 26 | 31 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 10 | 13 | 65 | 89 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2000 production as % of average: | 95 | |||
| 2000/01 import requirement as % of average: | 143 |
