• China’s Mainland to invest $100M in Liberia's agriculture
• Projects include rice, cassava, cocoa, and food logistics
• Plan targets 150,000 farmers, boosts incomes up to 30%

Chinese agri-food group Mainland plans to invest $100 million in Liberia's agricultural sector starting in 2025, according to a statement released on the Ministry of Agriculture's website on Wednesday.

The investment will fund specific projects across six key segments: cassava processing into starch, cocoa and coffee processing, rice milling, sugar production, and food logistics.

The company “plans to open a rice processing plant at a 1,000-hectare site in Fuamah, Bong County, by September or October 2025, to help farmers access markets. A cassava processing facility is also planned. Cocoa processing will start in February or March next year, adding value to a crop currently exported raw,” the statement said.

According to Minister of Agriculture Alexander Nuetah, these projects are expected to revitalize the agricultural sector and improve food security and farmer incomes by creating new markets for agricultural products.

"All of these projects will increase farmers’ income by 20 to 30%. Our target is to engage more than 150,000 ordinary farmers in the next five years. Additionally, we will expand the industry and plantations year by year, growing our own plantations and those of the communities," said Zhu Chen, CEO of Mainland.

For the Chinese group, these new projects in Liberia will also expand its presence in the African agri-food industry. Mainland already operates five natural rubber processing plants and a palm oil unit in Ivory Coast. Since 2024, the company has also operated a sunflower oil production unit in Tanzania.

Stéphanas Assocle