Rice, tomatoes and peppers are among the food staples Côte d’Ivoire will not export for six months.

Government officials have announced a ban on the shipment of 20 foodstuffs, effective from 15 January.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

In a statement, the country’s government said it had introduced the restrictions “in order to guarantee the food security of the populations living in Côte d’Ivoire”.

Staples also subject to the order include corn, chilli powder and sorghum – a nutrient-rich cereal grain.

Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa, which does not feature on the list.

The order was signed by the country’s ministers of finance, commerce and agriculture.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Last year, the government implemented a ban on rice and sugar exports from September to December.

According to the FAO, the agriculture industry contributes to 27% of Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP.

The country is hosting the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

Earlier this month, the IMF said it expects the west African nation’s real GDP to grow by 6.6% this year.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact