The nation’s dependency on imported wines follows from restricted native manufacturing because of its unsuitable local weather for viticulture, a voluntary report by the USA Division of Agriculture (USDA) said.
In consequence, nearly all wine consumed domestically is imported, together with bulk shipments of lower-quality wines for native bottling.
Most Ivorian wine customers are concentrated within the forested south, particularly round coastal cities, the place a thriving market has supported constant demand. Nonetheless, in 2024, Côte d’Ivoire’s wine imports dropped by 23%, with imports totalling $26.4 million by July.
Financial pressures, together with international inflation, foreign money fluctuation, rising commodity and gasoline costs, and lingering results from the Russia-Ukraine battle, have contributed to shrinking client budgets, decreasing demand for imported wines.
The report additional indicated that, throughout sub-Saharan Africa, solely 17 nations, together with Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Kenya, report nationwide customs knowledge on wine imports. Collectively, these nations imported a mixed $295.7 million in wine in 2023.
