Market Trends of africa specialty fertilizer Industry
The rising domestic demand will lead to double the agricultural production in the near future
- The agro-ecological zones in Africa span from dense rainforests with bi-annual rainfall to arid deserts with minimal precipitation. Key field crops in the region include corn, sorghum, wheat, and rice. In 2022, the cultivation area for these crops reached 224.8 million hectares, accounting for over 95% of the region's agricultural land. In response to a surplus of corn stocks leading to price suppression, South African corn farmers scaled back their planting by 10% to 2.1 million hectares in the 2018-19 season. Consequently, corn production in the country dipped by 11% from 13 million to 12 million tonnes, and exports fell from 2.5 million to 1 million tonnes. This shift prompted producers to allocate more of their fields to oilseed crops, particularly soybeans, resulting in an overall decline in corn cultivation across Africa in 2018-2019.
- Nigeria takes the lead as the largest sorghum producer in Africa, closely followed by Ethiopia. Sorghum, accounting for 50% of the total cereal output, dominates about 45% of Nigeria's cereal crop land. Known for its drought and waterlogging tolerance, sorghum thrives in diverse soil conditions. These attributes position sorghum as the go-to staple crop in Africa's drier regions, ensuring both food and income security.
- Kenya, Somalia, and significant parts of Ethiopia are grappling with the looming specter of severe food shortages. Over the past decade, Africa's spending on food imports has nearly tripled, even as its agricultural industry and cultivated land have continued to expand.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
Download PDF
Rapeseed is the highest nitrogen consuming crop
- Rapeseed crops have the highest potassium and phosphorous application rates, accounting for 162.4 kg/hectare and 281.7 kg/hectare, respectively. Meanwhile, the average nitrogen application rate for field crops in Africa stands at 364.9 kg/hectare. In 2022, field crops in Africa accounted for 87.1% of the total primary nutrient consumption, which amounted to 556.1 thousand metric tons. This dominance can be attributed to the extensive land area dedicated to field crops. Specifically, the average nutrient application rates for nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in these crops were 223.2 kg/ha, 125.3 kg/ha, and 155.3 kg/ha, respectively.
- The Guinea savannas in Nigeria offer favorable environmental conditions for maize production. However, despite this potential, farmers in the region struggle with low yields. The primary culprits are soil degradation and nutrient depletion, primarily nitrogen, resulting from intensified land use. Field crops prioritize nitrogen application due to its multiple benefits, including promoting tillering, leaf area development, grain formation, filling, and protein synthesis. Nitrogen also plays a crucial role in enhancing both grain yield and quality.
- Given that primary nutrients are vital for crop growth and with concerns over soil depletion and nitrogen leaching, the application rates for primary nutrients are expected to witness significant growth in the coming years.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
Download PDF
OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Africa is experiencing increasing area under cultivation due to the growing demand for high-value crops
- Soil deficiencies of the micronutrients that are essential for plant growth are one of the major challenges across Africa.
- Due to its critical function in the development of plant tissues and its contribution to overall plant growth, calcium is the secondary macronutrient that receives the highest application
- Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa accounted for a significant portion of irrigated land in 2022
- High micronutrient deficiencies in soil have encouraged farmers to apply micronutrient fertilizer
- Nitrogen is the most-applied nutrient in vegetable crops with an average application rate of 384.6 kg per hectare
- Magnesium is crucial in onion cultivation
