Dried shelled chickpeas market in Western Africa

Earlier Report Observations

The dried shelled chickpea market in Western Africa grew substantially from 3.7 thousand t in 2018 to 9.5 thousand t in 2023. This expansion was largely driven by a dramatic increase in imports, which rose from 2.3 thousand t to 7.8 thousand t over the period, while domestic production remained stable at approximately 1.8 thousand t.

After a sharp rise in 2019, market volume dipped slightly in 2020 before surging by 50% in 2021. Growth continued in the following years, though at a more moderate pace, with the market reaching 9.2 thousand t in 2022 and 9.5 thousand t in 2023.

In 2023, the market's growth was supported by increasing global demand for plant-based proteins, which stimulated consumption, and by a broader assortment of chickpea products in retail stores, enhancing accessibility and convenience for consumers.

Production dried shelled chickpeas in Western Africa

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of dried shelled chickpeas, 2017-2020

World map of production of dried shelled chickpeas, 2017-2020

In 2020, Western Africa produced 1,781 tonnes of dried shelled chickpeas, showing no significant change from the previous year. The largest increase occurred in 2019, with production rising by 1.2%.

Annual dynamics of production in Western Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports dried shelled chickpeas from Western Africa

Exports in kind, t

Dried shelled chickpeas exports from Western Africa increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, exports reached 1,726 tonnes, marking a substantial gain of 215.4% compared to 2019. Between 2017 and 2020, exports surged by 2,508.4%, translating to an annualized growth rate of 196.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Western Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Spain and Morocco remained the leading markets for dried shelled chickpeas exports from Western Africa in volume terms, together accounting for 51.1% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Western Africa in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The market exhibited volatility during these years. Exports bottomed in 2019 and peaked in 2020, with an 11.6-fold difference between these two years. In 2020, Western Africa exported $780,000 worth of dried shelled chickpeas, showing a dramatic improvement of 1,059.3% versus the previous year. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at $67,000, while the largest decline occurred in 2018, dropping by 20.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Western Africa in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Throughout 2017–2020, Spain, Chad, and Morocco formed the key group of partners for dried shelled chickpeas exports from Western Africa in value terms. Spain accounted for 22.1% of exports, with Chad and Morocco each contributing 1.0%, jointly representing 24.1% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Western Africa in value, 2017-2020

Imports dried shelled chickpeas to Western Africa

Imports in kind, t

The data reveals irregular changes, indicating a volatile market environment. Imports bottomed in 2018 and peaked in 2020, with a 2.4-fold difference between these years. In 2020, Western Africa imported 5,467 tonnes of dried shelled chickpeas, amounting to a robust increase of 16.6% over the past year. The minimum value was recorded in 2018 at 2,302 tonnes. The largest decline occurred in 2018, falling by 37.5%, while the largest increase was recorded in 2019, rising by 103.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Western Africa in kind, 2017-2020, t

In 2017–2020, the partner landscape for imports in volume terms was diverse. Turkey, the United States, and China together accounted for 43.7% of total flows, with Turkey at 18.6%, the United States at 14.6%, and China at 10.4%. A substantial 56.3% was supplied by many other countries.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Western Africa in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Western Africa imported $2,022,000 worth of dried shelled chickpeas, indicating a rise of 14.3% compared to 2019. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at $2,022,000, while the maximum value occurred in 2018 at $2,458,000. The largest decline was recorded in 2019, dropping by 17.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Western Africa in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In 2017–2020, China, the United States, and Ukraine were the main destinations in the geographical breakdown of dried shelled chickpeas imports to Western Africa in value terms. China accounted for 25.9% of imports, the United States for 15.0%, and Ukraine for 12.5%, with a combined share of 53.4% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Western Africa in value, 2017-2020