Shelled almonds market in Sub-Saharan Africa

Earlier Report Observations

The shelled almonds market in Sub-Saharan Africa saw its volume supported by rising global demand in 2018, particularly from Asia, which drove import growth to compensate for declining local production. This trend continued into 2019 as investments in irrigation and mechanization in major producing regions bolstered worldwide supply. However, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global value chains and reduced purchasing power, leading to a contraction in market volume.

A sustained focus on sustainability, including the adoption of environmental labels like Bas-Carbone, marked 2021, while market volume remained subdued. New packaging regulations favoring recyclable materials and the expansion of production capacity by major global players stimulated demand in 2022, restoring market volume. In 2023, a sharp increase in exports, likely propelled by a 20% capacity expansion by key industry actors, resulted in a significant drop in domestic market volume, even as the sector accelerated its shift toward fully recyclable packaging.

Production shelled almonds in Sub-Saharan Africa

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of shelled almonds, 2017-2020

World map of production of shelled almonds, 2017-2020

Sub-Saharan Africa's shelled almond production declined for the second year in a row. In 2019, production stood at 1 418 tonnes, but by 2020 it had dropped to 1 305 tonnes—an 8.0% decrease. Looking at the broader period from 2017 to 2020, production actually increased by 9.3%, with an average annual growth rate of 3.0%. The highest production level was recorded in 2018 at 1 603 tonnes, which marked a significant 34.3% increase from the previous year. However, the sharpest decline occurred in 2019, when production fell by 11.5%.

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

Exports shelled almonds from Sub-Saharan Africa

Exports in kind, t

The data shows irregular fluctuations, pointing to a volatile market environment. Exports reached their lowest point in 2018 at 867 tonnes, then surged to a peak in 2017—a dramatic 11.6-fold difference between these two years. By 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa exported 1 481 tonnes of shelled almonds, representing a 29.6% increase compared to 2019. The most substantial decline was recorded in 2018, when exports plummeted by 91.4%. Conversely, the largest increase occurred in 2019, with exports rising by 31.8%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, the export destinations for shelled almonds remained quite scattered. The United States accounted for 8.0% of exports in volume, the Netherlands for 4.6%, and Indonesia for 1.8%. Together, these three countries made up just 14.5% of total exports, with no single partner emerging as clearly dominant.

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

The market exhibited an unstable trend throughout the period. Exports in value terms peaked in 2017, then fell to their lowest point in 2019—a difference of 6.3 times between these years. In 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa's shelled almond exports totaled 7 132 thousand US dollars, a substantial 117.6% increase from the previous year. The minimum value was recorded in 2019 at 3 278 thousand US dollars. The most significant decline occurred in 2018, when export value dropped by 69.8%.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, three key markets—the United States, the Netherlands, and Russia—collectively absorbed 64.9% of the total value of shelled almond exports 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 shelled almonds to Sub-Saharan Africa

Imports in kind, t

Imported volumes of shelled almonds in Sub-Saharan Africa increased for the second consecutive year. In 2020, the region imported 4 355 tonnes, a modest 5.3% rise compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, imports grew by 23.2%, equating to an annualized rate of 7.2%. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2018 at 3 415 tonnes, which represented a 3.4% decline from the previous year. The largest increase occurred in 2019, with imports jumping by 21.2%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, the United States, Australia, and Spain were the main sources of shelled almond imports to Sub-Saharan Africa. The United States accounted for 54.5% of imports in volume, Australia for 5.3%, and Spain for 4.4%. Together, these three countries absorbed 64.2% of total imports.

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

In 2020, shelled almond deliveries to Sub-Saharan Africa totaled 23 006 thousand US dollars, a 6.9% decrease from the previous year. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, imports increased by 7.2%, with an average annual growth rate of 2.3%. The minimum value was recorded in 2018 at 20 874 thousand US dollars, while the maximum was in 2019 at 24 711 thousand US dollars. The largest increase occurred in 2019, with import value rising by 18.4%.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, the United States dominated shelled almond imports in value terms, accounting for 76.8% of the total. The remaining imports were distributed among a broad group of smaller countries.

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