Market Trends of Africa Rice Industry
Expanding Production Potential in the Region
Most African countries are heavily dependent on imports to satiate the growing demand for rice among consumers. However, with the introduction of focused rice cultivation through several studies, domestic production increased during the study period. With consistently low levels of productivity across the region, the Global Agroecological Zones (GAEZ) analytical work was developed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) to prepare maps of land suitability for rice production in the African region. This enabled the identification of appropriate land for rice cultivation, which has steered rice production.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), rice production in Africa increased from 36.4 million metric tons to 39.8 million metric tons between 2019 and 2022. This increase can be attributed to farmers investing in irrigation and millers engaging in contract farming with smallholder farmers to source paddy. These activities have provided farmers with a stable income and boosted rice production in the region. The adoption of new agricultural practices in Africa is anticipated to further drive domestic rice supply and market growth in the region.
Cote d'Ivoire is One of the Key Importers of Rice
The demand for rice as a staple food has increased in Cote d'Ivoire due to rising demand from middle-income class consumers. Smallholder farmers are the country's primary rice producers, and domestic rice consumption has been steadily increasing due to population growth. However, local production only covers 50% of the country's consumption, making Cote d'Ivoire heavily dependent on imports. The rice sector is currently informal, fragmented, and inefficient, resulting in a lack of competitiveness against imported rice.
According to ITC Trade Map data, in 2023, Cote d'Ivoire imported 1.3 million metric tons of rice, making it one of the largest rice importers in the world. It is estimated that by 2025, 2.0 million metric tons of milled rice will be needed to meet domestic consumption. Cote d'Ivoire primarily imports rice from India (594.6 thousand metric tons), Vietnam (489.7 thousand metric tons), Pakistan (100.3 thousand metric tons), Thailand (59.7 thousand metric tons), and China (45.2 thousand metric tons). With population growth and evolving consumer dietary preferences, the demand for rice is anticipated to rise in the years ahead.
