info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Image from Face 2 Face Africa
Africa is rich in oil and natural resources and has an important strategic position. In the past few years, some products have caused global concern, and the demand for external exports has increased and caused serious domestic shortages or price increases.
Baobab Fruits
The baobab is one of the common trees in Africa and the fruit is easily available in the market. Over the years, it has been used as an additive to smoothies and porridge. The benefits of baobab fruits include antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C among others. The Guardian recently reported that the fruit is now considered a superfood in the United Kingdom. 27% increase in sales since the start of 2018, thanks, in part, to the rise of "liquid breakfasts".
Avocado
In January, Kenya banned the export of avocado for a while following a shortage locally. The increase in price was made even worse with the shortage of the fruit in Australia. In 2016, Kenya and South Africa ranked seventh and ninth respectively in avocado export.
Cashew Nut
Cashew nuts export continues to grow due to the increasing demand for ready-to-eat snacks. West Africa was the top producer of cashew nuts in 2015, alongside South-Eastern Asia. In 2016, Ivory Coast toppled India to become the biggest cashew exporter in the world. Full of anti-oxidants, cashew nuts not only provide relief from anaemia and diabetes, they also improve oral health.
Coconut
The demand for coconut is still high, and among the top 2017 exporters of the product are Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria and Mozambique (ranked 11, 15, 18 and 20). Coconuts are quite popular because of its versatility whether as a food product or cosmetic among others.
Vanilla
Madagascar is the second biggest producer of vanilla, supplying 80-85% of the product to the world. The supply of the product increased following the announcement by Unilever and Nestle that they will only use natural ingredients in their products. There was an uncertainty over the product due to a cyclone that hit Madagascar in 2017, pushing the price to $600 a kilogram. Although it dropped to $550 later in the year, the price went back up due to crop level issues.
Shea Nut
Shea butter has been touted as one of the best beauty product and West Africa is the world’s largest producer of the Shea nut. Nigeria is the top producer, followed by Mali and Burkina Faso. Ghana comes in fourth, before Ivory Coast, Benin and Togo.
