This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 7/18/2017

Overview

The Republic of Congo’s agricultural sector is limited and cannot satisfy domestic demand. Approximately 40% of the population is engaged in subsistence agricultural production, which contributes just 4.0 % of Congo’s gross domestic product (GDP). Only a small percentage of arable land is currently under cultivation; the exact percentage is not known, but it is certainly less than 10%, and the quantity under cultivation has not increased appreciably in recent years.  The country relies heavily on food imports, which account for about 80% of domestic food consumption. Imported foodstuffs come mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, and the United States. France is the largest source of the Republic of Congo’s agricultural imports.

 
 2014201520162017 (Estimated 1st Semester)
Total Local Production52586377
Total Exports____
Total Imports949085109
Imports from the US
 		    
Total Market Size146148148186
Exchange Rates493.53591.42592.44 
(Total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Unit= millions of dollars
 

Leading Sub-Sectors

Corn grows well in the Republic of Congo and has potential as a human food source, as well as to support poultry and livestock production.
Mechanized farming is a promising area for investment, as land, labor, and demand are readily available.
 

Opportunities

Opportunities exist for exporting food products to the Republic of Congo, as well as setting up operations in the Republic of Congo for the production and/or processing of food.  South African farmers have recently leased land for food production in the Republic of Congo, and the U.S.-based NGO International Partnership for Human Development (IPHD) has successfully prototyped large-scale industrial farming in three different areas of the country.
 

Web Resources

International Partnership for Human Development (IPHD)

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.


More Information

Congo Brazzaville Agribusiness Trade Development and Promotion