Abstract: Food balance sheets provide comprehensive pictures of a country's food supply during a specified reference period. Sources of supply and utilization are shown for each item. Food balance sheets are utilized by FAO for assessment and appraisal of world food situations and to establish a statistical base for world agricultural development. Balance sheets indicate supply but not usage. Balance sheets cover production, stock changes, imports, domestic supply, exports, feed, seed, manufacture, waste, food usages, per caput supply for each commodity analyzed within a three-year period (averages are given based on mid-year etimates). Accuracy of statistics are based on reliability of basic population statistics, supply and utilization statistics, and nutritive values. The balance sheets cover the 1972-1974 period and are categorized by 1) continental analysis; 2) economic classes and regions analysis; 3) country (162) analysis, based on FAO supply/utilzation accounts (SUA's) of food products and processed foods.

I would like to thank many people for their assistance in this research. I am particularly grateful to Bruce Johnston for his close guidance and encouragement of my studies at the Food Research Institute. Rey Martore11 is to thank for much of my interest in using anthropometric data to evaluate nutritional status. Tom Fingar gave generously of his comprehensive knowledge of China and carefully read and commented on successive drafts of the work. I am also grateful to the director of the Food Research Institute, Wally Falcon, for his encouragement, . support, and guidance. Stanford's US-China Relations Program and the National Resource Fellowship Program are also to thank for their assistance in the financing of my years at Stanford University. I am also thankful for the friendship and support of the staff and fellow graduate students at Stanford University including Angie, Carmen, Minnie, Susan, Carl, Carol, Don, George, Helen, Hernan, Jo Ann, Lipumba, Mark Kanazawa, Mark Langworthy, Noreen, and Yoshi. I feel special gratitude to Janice for her comments on the work and her wonderful support and patience.