EXPORTATION OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF RICE IN WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Rice is a staple food in many countries of Africa and constitutes a major part of the diet in many others. During the past three decades the crop has seen consistent increases in demand and its growing importance is evident in the strategic food security planning policies of many countries. With the exception of a few countries that have attained self-sufficiency in rice production, rice demand exceeds production and large quantities of rice are imported to meet demand at a huge cost in hard currency. Africa consumes a total of 11.6 million tonnes of milled rice per year (FAO, 1996), of which 3.3 million tonnes (33.6 percent) is imported.

As many as 21 of the 39 rice-producing countries in Africa import between 50 and 99 percent of their rice requirements. The distribution of rice importation on a regional basis appears skewed, with the North and Central Africa regions setting the lower (1.7 percent) and upper (71.7 percent) limits, respectively.

The Rice Exporters Association (Non-Basmati - India) with the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Production Exports Development Authority (APEDA) exported above 2,000 tonnes of rice from Kakinada deep seaport to West Africa since mid-February. On February 13, APEDA Chairman Dr. M. Angamuthu flagged the export of rice from the Kakinada deep seaport being operated by the Kakinada Sea Port Limited (KSPL), addressing the delay in clearing the vessels traffic at the government-run Kakinada anchorage port. The Rice Exporters Association (TREA-India) President B.V. Krishna Rao told The Hindu on Tuesday; “Since February 13, a total of above 2,000 tonnes of rice has been exported from the deep seaport to the Western African countries. It takes less time for ships to unload their cargo at the Anchorage port when rice is exported from the deep seaport. Three vessels carrying the load of above 2,000 tonnes of rice have left for West Africa from the deep seaport.