• Rice consumption surges in Côte d’Ivoire, driven by urbanization and dietary shifts
• Domestic output rises but fails to meet nearly 3 million-ton demand
• Imports climb, doubling costs; Côte d’Ivoire ranks Africa’s second-largest importer

Rice is steadily becoming a staple across West Africa, driven by population growth, rapid urbanization and changing diets. In Côte d’Ivoire, this shift is particularly visible in major cities such as Abidjan, Bouaké, Daloa and Gagnoa, where rice is increasingly replacing traditional staples such as cassava, yam and taro.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that rice consumption in Côte d’Ivoire is growing by 3% to 4% a year. Per capita consumption has risen to 84 kilograms per year, up from about 58 kilograms two decades ago. Rice now accounts for nearly 60% of the country’s cereal output, well ahead of maize, millet and sorghum.

To meet rising demand, Côte d’Ivoire has stepped up efforts in recent years to boost domestic production. USDA data show paddy rice output increased from about 1.8 million tonnes in 2015/2016 to nearly 2.3 million tonnes in 2024/2025. But supply remains insufficient, with annual white rice consumption now approaching 3 million tonnes.

That gap has increased reliance on imports, making Côte d’Ivoire Africa’s second-largest rice importer after Nigeria. Supplies come mainly from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand.

Customs data show the trend has also pushed up costs. Rice import volumes rose from 1.14 million tonnes in 2015 to 1.62 million tonnes in 2024, while the import bill more than doubled from 290.8 billion CFA francs to 609.6 billion CFA francs, according to the 2025 Statistical Yearbook of Ivorian Customs.

Detailed below is how Côte d’Ivoire’s rice imports have evolved over the past decade and the associated costs.

Espoir Olodo