Prepared sweetcorn market in Sub-Saharan Africa

Earlier Report Observations

Production of prepared sweetcorn in Sub-Saharan Africa grew from 8 564 tons in 2018 to 9 291 tons in 2023, even as the sector faced persistent constraints from climate change vulnerability and slow adoption of improved seeds, which held back yields. The deployment of drought-tolerant maize hybrids through government and regional initiatives provided some support to production resilience by 2023.

Total market volume fluctuated significantly, reaching a high of 17 183 tons in 2022, heavily influenced by import levels which peaked at 8 220 tons in 2021. The subsequent drop in market volume to 15 669 tons in 2023 was primarily due to a sharp decline in imports to 6 460 tons, despite continued growth in domestic output.

In 2024, new policy measures were introduced, including seed subsidy programs in Nigeria and Ethiopia and market access initiatives for smallholder farmers in South Africa, alongside the wider deployment of drought-tolerant maize hybrids across the region.

Production prepared sweetcorn in Sub-Saharan Africa

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of prepared sweetcorn, 2017-2020

World map of production of prepared sweetcorn, 2017-2020

Sub-Saharan Africa's prepared sweetcorn production increased for the second consecutive year. In 2020, the region produced 8 929 tonnes of prepared sweetcorn, marking a 3.7% rise compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production grew by 4.3%, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%. The most stable year was 2018, when production remained essentially unchanged.

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

Exports prepared sweetcorn from Sub-Saharan Africa

Exports in kind, t

The export market showed considerable volatility during this period. Exports reached their lowest point in 2018 at 10 tonnes, then surged to a peak of 903 tonnes in 2019, representing a 90-fold increase between these two years. In 2020, cross-border shipments of prepared sweetcorn from Sub-Saharan Africa dropped sharply to 33 tonnes, a 96.3% decrease from the previous year. The largest year-on-year increase occurred in 2019, when exports grew by 8 902.7%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, France was the leading buyer of prepared sweetcorn from Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 0.7% of total exports in volume terms.

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

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

Exports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa's prepared sweetcorn exports were valued at 1 160 thousand US dollars, a slight decrease of 1.6% compared to 2019. Between 2017 and 2020, export value declined by 54.2%, which translates to an annualized decrease of 22.9%. The lowest value was recorded in 2018 at 1 132 thousand US dollars, when exports fell by 55.3% year-on-year. The only increase during this period came in 2019, with a modest 4.1% rise.

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

During the 2017-2020 period, France played a significant role in export value, representing 2.2% of total prepared sweetcorn export flows from Sub-Saharan Africa.

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

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

Imports prepared sweetcorn to Sub-Saharan Africa

Imports in kind, t

After two consecutive years of decline, prepared sweetcorn imports to Sub-Saharan Africa showed signs of recovery. In 2020, imports reached 6 900 tonnes, reflecting a modest 2.6% increase compared to the previous year. However, looking at the broader 2017-2020 period, imports decreased by 23.1%, equivalent to an annualized decline of 8.4%. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2019 at 6 723 tonnes, following a significant 21.3% drop in 2018.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, China, Thailand, and France were the primary suppliers of prepared sweetcorn to Sub-Saharan Africa. China accounted for 37.3% of imports by volume, Thailand contributed 19.2%, and France supplied 13.2%. Together, these three countries represented 69.7% of total prepared sweetcorn imports to the region.

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

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

Imports in value, K $ US

Following two years of contraction, Sub-Saharan Africa's prepared sweetcorn imports showed a modest recovery. In 2020, import value reached 7 035 thousand US dollars, representing a 1.9% increase compared to the previous year. Despite this recent uptick, imports decreased by 35.8% over the entire 2017-2020 period, which corresponds to an annualized decline of 13.7%. The lowest import value was recorded in 2019 at 6 906 thousand US dollars, following a substantial 35.0% decrease in 2018.

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

From 2017 to 2020, China, Thailand, and France dominated the prepared sweetcorn import market to Sub-Saharan Africa in value terms. China accounted for 29.2% of import value, Thailand represented 18.4%, and France contributed 15.5%. Collectively, these three suppliers accounted for 63.0% of total prepared sweetcorn import value to the region.

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

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