Agricultural Sectors

Rice

(Thousand metric tons) 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005
Total Market Size 1149 TMT 1002 TMT 1060 TMT
Local Production 390 TMT 280 TMT 350 TMT
Total Exports 3 TMT 15 TMT 10 TMT
Total Imports 762 TMT 737 TMT 720 TMT
Imports from U.S. 65 TMT 39 TMT 45 TMT
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

Rice is the main staple food in Côte d’Ivoire. The import market was fully liberalized in January 1997. The U.S. is especially competitive in brown (decorticated) rice, medium quality (10-20 percent broken) milled rice, and consumer-pack deluxe rice. The main competitors are India, Vietnam, and Thailand, although all, except Thailand, mainly sell into the low quality, ordinary rice market. White rice, polished from U.S. brown rice, has a well-established reputation. In addition to shipments under the Food for Progress food aid program, since 2000 importers have purchased commercially. The USDA program of Supplier Credit Guarantee Program to promote U.S. agricultural exports has received little patronage from Ivorian importers due to the political crisis.

Wheat

(Thousand metric tons) 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005
Total Market Size 263 TMT 257 TMT 265 TMT
Local Production 0 0 0
Total Exports 0 0 0
Total Imports 263 TMT 257 TMT 265 TMT
Imports from U.S. 0 25 TMT 20 TMT
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

Wheat and flour imports were liberalized in May 1995, ending a monopoly by the local flour mill. Continuing the liberalization process, import duties on wheat flour were reduced from 30 percent to 20 percent in December 1997, but maintained at 5 percent for wheat. The decreased duty makes imported flour competitive with flour produced by the local mill. A Monaco-based company owns this flour mill with several mills in West Africa and has close ties to the French wheat industry. High protein U.S. or German wheat is imported for blending with low protein French soft wheat. The percentage of U.S. or other high protein wheat varies from 10 to 25 percent depending on the relative costs. In 1999, the flour mill started producing on a trial basis high-protein flour for baking of Fanti bread, which uses 40 percent U.S. Dark Northern Spring wheat. However, the production was stopped for no obvious reason since the market exists and informal flour imports from neighboring countries persist.

Corn

(Thousand metric tons) 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005
Total Market Size 828 TMT 752 TMT 803 TMT
Local Production 820 TMT 750 TMT 800 TMT
Total Exports 0 0 0
Total Imports 8 TMT 2 TMT 3 TMT
Imports from U.S. 2 TMT 0 0
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

Rapid expansion in modern egg and poultry production has boosted compound feed production. Local corn supplies, which are mostly used for direct human consumption, are not adequate to meet a year round demand for feed grains. High moisture content and poor quality make local corn difficult to store. While feed millers prefer to purchase locally, they have had to import during the lean season, from April to June. The main import sources are the United States and South Africa. Imports since outbreak of the political crisis in 2002, have been small and primarily from South Africa due to the depressed economy.

Whole Milk Powder

(Thousand metric tons) 2003 2004 2005
Total Market Size 13 TMT 11 TMT 12 TMT
Local Production 0 0 0
Total Exports 3 TMT 0 1 TMT
Total Imports 16 TMT 11 TMT 13 TMT
Imports from U.S. 0 0 0
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

Using European Union subsidies, France and the Netherlands dominate the market. Although the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) is available to subsidize U.S. exports into this market, it has not been utilized for several years. Whole milk powder is consumed directly and used in the manufacture of UHT milk, condensed milk, ice cream, and yogurt. Packaging and labeling are vital to success. The U.S. is most competitive in bulk shipments, i.e., 25 kg. kraft paper bags with plastic linings. Dairy products must have the expiration date printed on the packages. Consumer ready products are also popular imports, including concentrated and UHT milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, whole milk powder, and yogurt.

Alcoholic Beverages

(Hectoliters) 2003 2004 2005
Total Market Size 277,870 HL 173,450 HL 198,800 HL
Local Production 0 0 0
Total Exports 1,500 HL 1,000 HL 1,200 HL
Total Imports 279,370 HL 174,450 HL 200,000 HL
Imports from U.S. 0 2 HL 25 HL
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

Wine accounts for over 85 percent of spirits imports. Bulk wine from Spain makes up the majority, but there are significant imports of medium and high quality wine from France. As a former colony, Cote d'Ivoire has a firmly-established wine tradition. There are opportunities for U.S. exporters in medium quality wines with ex-winery prices of USD 40 to USD 50 per case. The data above do not include beer, which is dominated by local production of around 2 million hectoliters (HL). One market niche, which is open for exploitation is light and non-alcoholic beer, as the middle and upper class, becomes more weight conscious.

Varietal Meats

(Thousand metric tons) 2003 2004 2005
Total Market Size 48 TMT 46 TMT 53 TMT
Local Production 4 TMT 6 TMT 8 TMT
Total Exports 0 0 0
Total Imports 44 TMT 40 TMT 45 TMT
Imports from U.S. 7 TMT 5 TMT 6 TMT
(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Statistique du Commerce Exterieur
Data for 2004 and 2005 are projections by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES.

The U.S. is the major supplier of varietal meats (beef/pig offals) to Cote d’Ivoire. Post forecasts slow but steady growth in this market and expects U.S. suppliers to capture an even larger percentage of imports. Offals are sold for further processing and directly to consumers.

Due to competition from Burkina Faso and Mali, the demand for non-varietal meat from the U.S. is small.

Canned and Dry Goods for Groceries

STATISTICS NOT AVAILABLE

Côte d’Ivoire has the most sophisticated consumer and supermarket infrastructure in West Africa. If Côte d’Ivoire’s economy resumes its growth, so too will the urban population and the middle class. A niche market is growing for American-style snack foods, breakfast cereals and other consumer products. Supermarkets are growing in importance, particularly in Abidjan. In addition, hotel/restaurant and other food services are potential growth areas for these products. Break bulk liner shipping between the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and East coasts, and West Africa started in 1998 making container shipping cheaper and more timely. At present, most of these products come from the EU or South Africa.

Commercial Sectors

Building and Construction Equipment and Material

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 293 376 451
Total Imports 14 785 1,226
Imports from the U.S. 0.2 0.5 1
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

Building and construction has been one of the least effected sectors during the last three years despite the troubled political situation. While several major government-tendered infrastructure projects were stopped in 2000 and have yet to resume, many private operators continued to finish investments in infrastructure begun before the coup d'etat. For example, telecommunications firms, including cellular telephone companies and internet providers, have continued to make substantial investments in infrastructure, facilities and equipment. In addition, construction of the new parliament house and other official residences in the political capital of the country has led to a rise in imports. Over the next few years, assuming a stable economy, the market is expected to grow given the large gap in housing that exists in Cote d'Ivoire

Best Products/Services

Both the housing market and outdoor-marketplace market in Cote d’Ivoire offer good opportunities to promote high-tech American building materials based on advanced U.S. technology. U.S. value-added building products that may have very good market prospects include steel products, air conditioning and refrigeration.

Opportunities

In addition to the building and construction sector, the Ivoirian remodeling market has the potential to grow significantly over the long term.

Resources

Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI), http://www.cepici.net
Official Site of Côte d'Ivoire's Presidency, http://www.presidence.gov.ci/
The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Drugs/Pharmaceutical Products

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 8 6 49
Total Imports 202 242 237
Imports from the U.S. 0.3 2.7 3.9
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

Total U.S. exports for 2004 are estimated to be USD four million, approximately 1 percent of the total import market. This export figure is under-estimated because several U.S. made products and drugs enter the Ivoirian market under European licensing agreements through European laboratories. As for the local production, only one company (CIPHARM) produces pharmaceutical products in Côte d’Ivoire. While the market for pharmaceutical products is large, entry into the market is difficult. There are only three approved importers of drugs into Côte d’Ivoire: Laborex (60 percent of the private market), COPHARMED (30 percent) and DPCI (10 percent). Drugs are not sold in bulk as in the U.S. and restrictions force repackaging and French labeling. In addition, each drug, which enters the market, must be given a "visa" (a sticker provided by the Ministry of Health authorizing the supply of the drug) and its sale price is set in agreement between the GOCI and the importing/manufacturing company. This "visa" is good only for entry of a drug made in a specific factory. If the same drug is made in two different factories, the drug from each factory requires its own "visa".

Foreign pharmaceutical companies and laboratories export from Europe, mainly from France. Two American firms are represented in the Ivoirian market: Pfizer Laboratory, with its West African regional office in Dakar, and Phyto-Ryker, which manufactures generic drugs in Ghana and sells through Laborex and associated channels.

Best Prospects/Services

Most foreign laboratories deal with local companies which act as wholesalers. Marketing of pharmaceuticals and drugs is done on a push basis through sales agents who target doctors, nurses and hospitals throughout the country. These sales agents, representing the various laboratories, use these channels to market their products and educate the market much as in the U.S. Official statistics provided by the Ivoirian Ministry of Health show that approximately 4,200 products are sold in the country, chiefly antibiotics, painkillers, and anti-parasitic drugs. With the implementation of the West African harmonized tariff system, the price for end-users of all drugs and pharmaceuticals was increased by 1 percent. In 2002, the Ivoirian government passed a law to market AIDS drugs with a tax-exempt status.

Opportunities

Gradual familiarization with and use of generic products is occurring and local pharmacists are selling them. There may be a substantial market for generic products. In addition, there is a strong interest in the use of homeopathic, natural medicines, and supplements (all of which are only sold through pharmacies.) Again, product packaging and labeling in French is necessary.

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Automobile/Automotive Parts, Passenger Cars, New and Used, Trucks and Buses

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 453 1,025 1,076
Total Imports 625 1,386 1,813
Imports from the U.S. 2.6 3.3 8.3
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

The used automobile market has been growing for the last seven years and has reached a level of 25,000 units annually. Reasons for this growth are the demand for inexpensive automobiles, market liberalization measures, and the lack of adequate credit policies for potential clients and buyers of new cars.

Another attractive segment of the market is the autospare-parts and accessories market, which is growing quickly because of the need for replacement of spare-parts for existing automobile fleets.

Best Prospects/Services

Best sales prospects include:

• Consumables: oil and air filters, wiper blades, rubber blades, hoses, gaskets and rings, engine parts, brake parts, exhaust system parts, car body parts
• Accessories: wheel covers, car/truck bed covers, car batteries, exterior accessory lights
• Auto security products: alarms and steering wheel locks
• Service equipment for electronic diagnosis, monitoring, testing and analyzing, wheel balancing, tire changing, oil changing
• Battery chargers, quick repair kits, tools, and paints

Opportunities

If the political situation returns to normal, good opportunities exist in importing U.S. second-hand cars and buses, spare parts, security/antitheft devices and safety devices.

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Plastic Materials and Resins

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 217 216 249
Total Imports 200 225 206
Imports from the U.S. 9.9 11.9 11.65
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

Best Prospects/Services

Plastic imports consist primarily of PVC, polyethylene, hard density polyethylene, and resins. Local manufacturers use these products to manufacture plastic consumer products, plastic bags, plastic glassware and containers for the food processing industry. In terms of market share, France leads the market with 15.1% followed by Saudi Arabia with 11.5% and the U.S. with 10.1% of the total import market.

Opportunities

During the past two years the demand for plastic bags has increased significantly with an increase in food security concerns and waste management purposes.

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Oil/Gas Field Equipment

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 17 23 21
Total Imports 29 34 160
Imports from the U.S. 8.0 9.7 10.2
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

Upstream development: In the past years the pace of exploration has remained static due to the uncertain political and economic environment. Most oil companies here have taken a wait-and-see attitude. However, several oil and gas projects have come into production, with companies importing large amounts of oil and gas field equipment. It is advised that companies interested in exporting to Cote d'Ivoire have their U.S. headquarters liaise with Ivoirian authorities first, before entering the market. This way, U.S. companies can take advantage of tax breaks available in the Ivoirian investment code.

Downstream: Oil and gas is bought through or from S.I.R. (Societe Ivoirienne de Raffinage), the only Ivoirian oil refinery and its associated storage company GESTOCI. Companies currently participating in the market include Texaco, Exxon/Mobil, Total/Elf/Fina, and several smaller Ivoirian companies. The majority of their product is bought through or refined by S.I.R., with the larger companies owning shares in the refinery. Should the market for these products finally be liberalized, there will be significant opportunity for additional U.S. companies. Africa is one of the fastest growing areas of the world for downstream oil and gas consumption and margins are significant.

Best Prospects/Services

The largest opportunities for gas and oil are currently in exploration, not production. With the availability of additional speculative data and new analysis of offshore and onshore data, and with new technology making deepwater drilling economically viable, the deep-water shelf area of Côte d'Ivoire has shown significant potential.

Opportunities

The entire oil and gas equipment market is a great opportunity for U.S. companies.

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Agricultural Chemicals, Agricultural Machine and Equipment

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 27 13 21
Total Imports 65 87 59
Imports from the U.S. 10.1 13.9 2.7*
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)
*Statistic provided is not for full year

The primary end-users of agricultural chemical imports are Ivoirian farmers grouped in cooperatives and professional associations, as well as large companies involved in agro-industry. As a result of the country's partition, agricultural chemical imports have fluctuated since many of the farms are in the rebel-held territories.

Best Products/Services

Best sales prospects range from fertilizers to fungicides to orthophosphates.

Opportunities

The agriculture sector is still one of the important sectors of the economy. Therefore, the use of fertilizers and fungicides represent a great business opportunity.

Resources

Information about Cote d'Ivoire trade and business: http://www.apex.ci/
The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Cosmetics and Toiletries

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 157 142 167
Total Imports 42 18 24
Imports from the U.S. 0.6 1.4 5
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

Cosmetic and toiletry products made in the U.S. have a good potential for exports to West Africa. With the diversity of import sources, along with an aggressive local industry that exports a portion of its production to neighboring countries, this market is one of the more sophisticated ones in the sub-region. However, only a few U.S. firms have established a coherent agent/distributor network in the region. American firms prefer using European channels of distribution with key trading companies already involved in West Africa. Two or three local distributors market American products in a professional manner. Leading imported goods for use by local manufacturers include essences and perfumes. U.S. exports of about USD five million for 2004 are under-estimated because U.S. made products shipped from Europe are not included in the figure. Locally made products and foreign-made products include hair-care products, powders, perfumes, skin lotions, pomades, creams and oils. Many African retailers import containers of U.S. cosmetics from multi-line distributors in the United States, often at lower prices than those available from local distributors.

Best Products/Services

Best prospects include hair and skin products, lotions and creams.

Opportunities

Good opportunities exist if U.S. firms can identify local partners to repackage bulk liquid containers for the market. Marketers of cosmetic and beauty products in Côte d’Ivoire can be divided into four principal groups: several high-end specialty retailers/salons (which compete based on price and service for the portion of the population seeking expensive, brand-name cosmetics); supermarkets/department stores (which carry a limited range of high-quality brands, both domestic and imported); pharmacies with nationwide and regional coverage (which sell a limited number of brands are not often not the first place to which urban consumers turn when seeking beauty products); and small neighborhood stands/salons (which sell imported or low-quality, locally made products).

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci

Computers/Peripherals and Telecommunications Equipment

Overview

(USD Million) 2002 2003 2004 (estimated)
Total Market Size N/A N/A N/A
Total Local Production N/A N/A N/A
Total Exports 3 21 55
Total Imports 107 131 182
Imports from the U.S. 2.7 3.7 11.2
(Source: The above statistics were calculated by the Foreign Commercial Service based on data provided by the Ministry of Finance)

The computer and peripherals market in Cote d’Ivoire is well developed. American firms prefer using European channels of distribution with key trading companies already involved in West Africa.

Telecommunication density in Cote d'lvoire in 2002 was 6.06 telephones per one hundred inhabitants. This ratio is small in comparison with other countries such as Morocco (13.29 telephones per 100 inhabitants) and South Africa (30.37 telephones per 100 inhabitants). With the possibility of telecommunication regulatory reforms, new operators may enter the sector, resulting in an increase in telecommunication traffic and an increase in choice for consumers.

The only provider of fixed lines in the country is Cote d'Ivoire Telecom, the former state owned company sold to France Telecom in 1997. The company's monopoly on fixed line operations ended in December 2004 with the adoption of the draft telecommunications code by the Council of Ministers. The draft telecommunications code is currently awaiting approval by the National Assembly. A de facto monopoly still exists until the National Assembly approves Cote d'Ivoire's new telecommunications regulations.

Best Products/Services

Best prospect subsectors for U.S. suppliers include personal computers, servers, laptops, modems, printers and scanners. The two most important competitive factors in the Ivoirian computer hardware and peripherals market are (1) price and (2) after sales support. American companies wishing to enter the Ivoirian market should consider establishing a direct presence in the market, or alternatively should appoint a local agent or distributor. Prepaid calling cards and VOIP have high potential in the Telecommunications sector.

Opportunities

The liberalization of the telecommunication sector slated for 2005 will provide a great opportunity to enter the Ivoirian market.

Resources

The U.S. Department of Commerce Regional Office for Central and West Africa is your starting point for doing business in sub-Saharan Africa: www.buyusa.gov/westafrica
Côte d'Ivoire Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI): http://www.cepici.net
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Cote d’Ivoire: http://www.cci-ci.org
Bureau National d’Etudes et de Developpement (BNETD): http://www.bnetd.ci
Ivoirian Customs Office: http://www.douanes.ci