Rice Promotion Rep from Côte d’Ivoire Visits Arkansas Rice Country

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS -- Earlier this week, USA Rice hosted Mariam Touré, head of communication and rice promotion, from the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Rice Promotion for meetings with local producers and other industry leaders.  The Ministry of Rice Promotion was formed less than two years ago and is tasked with aiding Côte d’Ivoire’s goal of rice self-sufficiency by 2025.  

Touré was in the U.S. on a fact-finding tour and had scheduled stops in Arkansas among other destinations.

“We reviewed the successful U.S. rough rice shipment to Côte d’Ivoire at the end of 2019 and discussed ways to increase our exports to this top rice consuming country,” said Dow Brantley, an Arkansas rice farmer who attended the meeting here.  

Côte d’Ivoire, located on the west African coast, is the fifth largest rice importer in the world, second only to Nigeria in sub-Saharan Africa, with an annual per capita consumption of nearly 195 pounds.  Imports are upwards of 1.3 million MT annually, primarily coming from Viet Nam, India, and Thailand.

“Last month, USA Rice received a trade lead from a mill in Côte d’Ivoire looking for U.S. paddy which was been distributed to our membership,” said Eszter Somogyi, USA Rice director for Europe, Middle East, and Africa.  “Also, throughout the past several years, we’ve had frequent contact with personnel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture covering Côte d’Ivoire in our continued efforts to look for new markets for U.S. rice in all types and forms.”