2007 Africa Rice Trends

Abstract

The report gives a detailed review of production and consumption patterns of rice throughout Africa by region. World rice consumption is growing at 4% per year, outstripping production growth. Rice consumption is growing even faster in Africa, quickly replacing traditional crops largely due to urbanization and population growth. In 2007 sub-Saharan Africa imported 10 million tonnes, (i.e. one third of what is available on the world market). Rice production cannot keep up with rising demand and the increases that have been recorded are mostly due to extension of harvested area, resulting in the need to import riceat ever increasing prices.