Industry Dynamics

Kenya has reverted to importing sugar from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and East African Community member countries, bringing in more than 70 per cent of the imported produce from these markets in the nine months to September this year.

It is reported that Nigeria's wheat imports in the 2018/19 season will increase by 4% compared to last year’s 4.2 million tons, reaching 5.4 million tons, valued at $2.26 billion.

It is reported that Nigeria spends $60m on agricultural machinery from January to November 2018, which is $10 million higher than the amount imported in 2017.

Agriculture, agro-processing and the food and beverage industry is offering a large number of business opportunities for investors in South Africa.

Although the wheat production has declined in recent months due to crop production cuts and wheat market liberalization, the South African pet food industry has continued to grow in sales since 2014.

It is reported that Tanzania IPP Group and Youngsan Glonet Corporation of Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the local assembly of commercial and non-commercial vehicles.

Solar-powered irrigation has begun to be introduced to the agriculture in Egypt, a positive step toward developing the renewable energy industry. In the past two days, a solar powered irrigation plant was inaugurated in Esna city, Luxor, to supply 42 acres with water.

With electricity supply, particularly from the distribution companies remaining at an average of nine hours a day in the first half (H1) of 2018, local manufacturers’ expenditure on alternative energy source stood at N43.19 billion during the period.

Ghanaian parliamentarians recently called for a bipartisan approach to work with the Chinese government to reach a $2 billion Sino-hydro barter arrangement.