Millet market in Mozambique

Earlier Report Observations

Millet production in Mozambique rose sharply from 33 464 t in 2018 to 40 545 t in 2019, supported by the Instituto de Cereais de Moçambique acting as a buyer of last resort to build food security reserves and by increased fertilizer use that enhanced crop yields. The market volume followed a similar trajectory, reaching 40 554 t in 2019. Output then fell dramatically to 22 099 t in 2020, a contraction that coincided with the implementation of the new National Agrarian Sector Investment Plan which set longer-term productivity targets but did not prevent an immediate drop.

A modest recovery occurred in 2021 and 2022, with production climbing to 23 515 t, aided by government campaigns to shield domestic millet from imports and a boost in certified seed production driven by the SUSTENTA program. The entry of 59 registered cereal seed companies by 2022 strengthened the supply chain. However, by 2023 production retreated again to 17 099 t, as insufficient public investment and ongoing challenges in placing quality millet on the market, particularly in key provinces like Zambézia, limited growth.

Production millet in Mozambique

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of millet, 2017-2020

World map of production of millet, 2017-2020

Millet production in Mozambique showed a mixed trend over the 2017-2020 period. After two consecutive years of growth, output declined sharply in 2020. Production reached its peak in 2019 at 40 545 tons, but then fell dramatically by 45.5% the following year to just 22 099 tons. Looking at the full four-year period, production increased by 5.2% overall, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 1.7%. The most significant year-on-year increase occurred in 2018, when production jumped by 59.4%.

Annual dynamics of production in Mozambique in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports millet from Mozambique

According to market reports, Mozambique did not export any millet between 2017 and 2020.

Imports millet to Mozambique

Imports in kind, kg

Millet imports into Mozambique showed highly volatile patterns during the 2017-2020 period. The market experienced its lowest point in 2020 with imports of just 1 235 kg, representing an 85.8% decrease from the previous year. This contrasted sharply with the peak year of 2019, when imports reached 8 715 kg - a level 7.1 times higher than the 2020 figure. The most dramatic increase occurred in 2019, when imports surged by 556.2% compared to the previous year.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Mozambique in kind, 2017-2020, kg

From 2017 to 2020, Mozambique's millet imports were dominated by three key suppliers. India accounted for 41.8% of imports by volume, Portugal contributed 19.2%, and Eswatini supplied 17.7%. Together, these three countries represented 78.7% of Mozambique's total millet imports during this period.

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

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

Imports in value, $ US

The value of millet imports into Mozambique showed significant volatility between 2017 and 2020. Imports reached their lowest point in 2018 before surging to a peak of 19 853 US dollars in 2019 - a level 28 times higher than the 2018 trough. The following year saw a dramatic reversal, with import value falling by 95.0% to just {value_last_year} US dollars in 2020. The most substantial year-on-year increase occurred in 2019, when import value jumped by 2 689.1%.

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

During the 2017-2020 period, Mozambique's millet imports by value were concentrated among three main suppliers. China, India, and Eswatini together accounted for 78.1% of the total import value, making them the dominant sources of millet imports to Mozambique in monetary terms.

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

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