Madagascar is the third largest paddy producer in Africa behind Nigeria and Egypt. The country targets self-sufficiency in milled rice, but the challenges for the productive apparatus are still numerous.
In Madagascar, rice imports totalled 744,846 tonnes between January and December 2022. The Rice Observatory (ODR) reports this in its latest monthly newsletter. The volume announced shows an 18% increase over the 629,414 tonnes recorded a year earlier.
According to the public body, this year-over-year growth in cereal purchases on the international market was supported by the government’s implementation of a policy that “was intended to encourage operators to pursue imports in order to limit the increase in local rice prices”.
As a guide, the average retail price per kilogram of locally produced milled rice rose 2% in one month to 2,657 ariarys ($0.61) in December 2022, while imported rice traded at 2,523 ariarys over the same period ($0.58).
Behind the rise in domestic prices, The lack of local paddy supply resulting from a 6% to 4 million tonne drop in production during the 2021/2022 rice season due to the severe drought that delayed the start of the growing season.
As a reminder, Madagascar produces about 80% of its bleached rice consumption needs.
Stéphanas Assocle (Intern)
