ALL AGRI #Africa Agri Market

The forecast for a 10% decline in output in the four main producing countries – a consensus view from five producers and six exporters – reverses an earlier forecast for a 5% increase made in May and June. Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s two top cocoa producers, along with Nigeria and Cameroon, account for more than two-thirds of global cocoa output.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has been backing the coffee sector in several ways: training farmers, ensuring better access to inputs (seedlings, quality inputs), enforcing quality controls.

The cash crop bounced from its 52-week low last week at the New York Exchange to settle at $7420 per ton. Cocoa traded at a record high in December 2024 when it spiked to $12,646 per ton.

Africa’s coffee sector is gearing up for a major expansion, targeting China’s rapidly growing coffee market. With China’s increasing appetite for coffee and recent preferential trade policies, African producers see a golden opportunity to boost exports and strengthen economic ties.China has traditionally been a tea-drinking nation, but in recent years, coffee consumption has surged, especially among younger urban populations. This shift has attracted global coffee suppliers, and Africa—with its rich variety of high-quality coffee beans—is positioning itself as a key player.

Maize is a major staple in Zambia, both for food and for seed supplies for neighboring countries. Losing maize production to disease or drought wouldn’t just be a local problem; it could ripple across southern Africa.