Raw material chronicle

The price of grain has risen in West Africa in recent weeks. Maize but also millet and sorghum are more expensive in the markets due to a lack of sufficient stock and for fear of a disappointing new harvest. Again, it is a game of dominoes that increases the price of a bowl of corn or a millet bowl in West Africa. Initially,…

Between the 2018-2019 season and today, the cultivated areas have 10,000 hectares. South Africa is a very small producer country on an African and even regional scale, behind Zimbabwe and Zambia. So if its surface area thereby decreases, what future for the sector? From our correspondent in Johannesburg,The harvest is taking…

A million silos for West Africa and the Sahel is the brand new initiative led by the FAO, the United Nations Meals and Agriculture Group. Silos and warehouses are essential for regulating costs and making certain meals safety, however the area is struggling to realize its ambitions on this space. The announcement by the FAO is,…

How will the climate goals in the Paris Agreement 2015 be achieved if the minerals needed for energy conversion are not available in sufficient quantity? It's a real headache and that's why the International Energy Agency is ringing alarm bells. To become a good low-carbon student, you must already want, but also have the…

For six months, the price of fertilizer has risen. As a result, some farmers are being forced to reduce their use on the African continent. A trend that will not be without consequences. West African farmers are the big losers in the fertilizer market this year. Prices have reached their peak. And some operators are in…

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo and even the Philippines, traders of a new kind are collaborating with chocolate makers to find exceptional beans and set up responsible sectors that pay for planting machines better. Zoom, on Easter Monday, in the 5% of the cocoa market that accommodates the major manufacturers. This…

It is final, the exploitation of the Cominak mine; north of Niger; ends today because its reserves are depleted. A closure that takes place in a global context that is characterized by still very low prices, which undermines the mine's profitability. But China is expected to revive the market in the coming years. After 40…

The cashew campaign is in full swing in West Africa, but production forecasts have been revised downwards as in India and Vietnam. As a result, prices are rising and Asia is expected to need African nuts more than usual this year. The misfortune of Asian cashew producers may well make their West African counterparts happy this year. Concerns are confirmed, the cashew nut campaign among the two major producers in India and Vietnam looks less promising this year. Probably for climatic reasons. As a result, Asian…

New Ivorian cotton has arrived. Two new cotton varieties have been developed to enhance cotton grown in Ivory Coast, a cotton that has fallen outside the standards in recent years. They are called CI 123 and CI 128 and carry all the hopes of the Ivorian cotton sector. These code names are those of two varieties developed by the National Center for Agricultural Research, and in recent years, researchers have been called to the rescue to correct a crop that has been avoided by some buyers. It was the association of cotton…

The Gemfields group has announced the reopening of the Kagem emerald mine, one of the largest in the world. Closed for a year due to a pandemic, activity resumes at a time when the price of small green stones is starting to rise. Emerald from the Kagem mine is expected to return to the trading market this week. They will…