This was contained in a report titled “West Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook” published jointly by the two agencies and others.
The report said other countries across the West Africa region are projected to see similar price increases.
According to the report, prices of staple crops such as maize, wheat, rice, millet, etc will increase above the five-year average price occasioned by a reduction in production, trade restrictions, global geopolitical factors, and others.
“Staple prices currently remain above the five-year average across the region. This is attributable to a combination of factors including production deficits, trade restrictions, insecurity in the Sahel, elevated global prices, high transaction costs, and currency depreciation in the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea.”
It noted that the drop in imports is due to “global trade restrictions, shipping costs, lower national exchange rates, and domestic policies.”
The report further highlighted positive regional production outlooks for most roots, tubers like cassava and yam, and cash crops due to the strong output of major coastal country producers.
