• Government considers scrapping 9% VAT on fertilizers to support farmers

• Move comes as global supply disruptions push input costs higher

• Country remains heavily dependent on imported fertilizer inputs

Côte d’Ivoire is considering reinstating a full VAT exemption on fertilizers, as authorities look to ease pressure on farmers facing rising input costs. The plan was outlined in a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture on March 23.

The announcement came on the sidelines of a meeting between agriculture ministers from ECOWAS and WAEMU, aimed at coordinating a regional response to rising energy costs and tightening fertilizer supply, which are straining agricultural systems across West Africa and the Sahel.

Earlier this year, Abidjan introduced a 9% value-added tax on inputs used in fertilizer production, as well as on packaging materials, as part of the 2026 finance law. The measure, which took effect on January 17, had already raised concerns about higher fertilizer prices on the domestic market. Those pressures could intensify further given current tensions in global supply chains linked to geopolitical developments in the Middle East.

“As of now, discussions are ongoing with the relevant administrations, with a view to restoring a full VAT exemption on fertilizers to make them as accessible as possible for our producers,” Agriculture Minister Bruno Nabagné Koné said.

Since late February 2026, escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global fertilizer trade. According to UNCTAD, about one-third of global maritime fertilizer shipments—roughly 16 million tons—passes through the strait.

Like most sub-Saharan African countries, Côte d’Ivoire does not produce primary mineral fertilizers. Instead, it imports raw inputs in bulk and processes them locally into NPK blends, leaving the country highly exposed to global price fluctuations.

Data from the customs authority show that Côte d’Ivoire imported an average of 496,426 tons of fertilizer annually between 2020 and 2024. Over that period, the average annual import bill stood at CFA145.7 billion (about $257.6 million).

Stéphanas Assocle