The domestic production of the country is mainly concentrated on the cultivation of vegetables, fruits and cereals (corn). Legumes, coffee, sugar cane, cotton and tobacco are grown in less significant volumes. Most of the citrus and coffee plantations are located in the central and northern provinces.
The main agricultural crops of Angola are cassava (9.15 million tons), bananas (4.27 million tons) and corn (2.5 million tons). In general, for 2017-2021. Among the leading crops, there are positive trends in the production of cassava, as well as bananas and pineapples. The negative trend is typical for the production of sweet potatoes. There was a steady growth in corn up to 2020, but in 2021 there was a decrease of 15.9% compared to the previous year.
Animal husbandry is spread mainly in the arid south of the country. The largest production volumes are fish and seafood (412.4 thousand tons), milk (222.3 thousand tons) and pork (147.3 thousand tons). However, these volumes are not enough to meet the domestic needs of the country, especially for poultry meat. Angola is extremely dependent on imports of these products, the volume of domestic production covers consumer demand by only 20%.
Despite the fact that poultry farming is the most dynamically developing branch of animal husbandry, the increase in poultry meat production over the past three years has amounted to only 5.5%. The main poultry meat production in Angola is concentrated in the western coastal provinces: Bengo, Kwanza Sul, Benguela and Luanda. According to official statistics from the USDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), of all types of poultry meat in Angola, only chicken meat is produced. It should be noted that the country has already reached the level of self-sufficiency in food eggs.
According to the ITC Trade Map, in 2021, the total volume of imports of agricultural products of Angola amounted to 2,163.7 million US dollars, a decrease of 1.6% compared to 2020 (-34.7 million US dollars). The average annual growth rate (CAGR) of imports for 2017-2021 was -6.5%.
By the end of 2021, wheat (13.3%), rice (12.2%), poultry meat (11.2%), soybean oil (6.9%), palm oil (6.3%) dominated in the value structure of imports of agricultural products of Angola.
Since 2017, wheat imports have grown from $8.3 million to $287.0 million in 2021. A significant increase in volumes ensured leadership in the structure of imports of Angolan agricultural products in 2021. In physical terms, high growth rates were also noted: since 2017, wheat supplies have increased from 58.4 thousand tons to 554.6 thousand tons (9.5 times).
Rice imports for 2017-2021 were characterized by uneven dynamics in both physical and monetary terms. In 2017, 37.9 thousand tons of rice (US$ 23.9 million) were delivered to Angola, by 2020 the volume increased to 538.0 thousand tons (US$ 348.0 million), but in 2021 it decreased to 485.9 thousand tons (US$ 263.4 million) amid a decrease in rice supplies from Thailand, Uruguay, Pakistan, Myanmar and China.
Poultry meat imports also had mixed dynamics: from 445.5 million US dollars in 2017, purchases increased to 488.3 million US dollars, and then decreased to 287.1 million US dollars in 2019 and by 2020 reached a minimum value of 207.0 million US dollars. In 2021, mainly due to increased supplies from the USA and Brazil, poultry meat imports increased by 17.6%.
The main exporting countries of agricultural products to Angola in value terms in 2021 were Brazil (14.3%), Portugal (11.4%), France (7.8%), India (6.8%), the USA (6.6%) and Thailand (6.2%). The share of the top 10 countries accounted for 73.3% of imports of agricultural products of Angola.
According to the ITC Trade Map, the total volume of exports of agricultural products of Angola in 2021 reached 93.0 million US dollars, which is 19.0% less than the value of 2020 (114.7 million US dollars). The average annual growth rate (CAGR) of exports in 2017-2021 was -10.0%.
The basis of exports of Angola's agricultural products are crustaceans, fresh and chilled fish, beer, wheat processing waste and whiskey, which accounted for 76.2% of the country's exports in value terms in 2021.
In addition, Angola exports bananas (5.0% of the total exports of agricultural products of Angola), beet and cane sugar (3.1%), soft drinks, except water and juices (2.6%), coffee (2.3%), as well as products and canned crustaceans (1.8%).
In 2021, the main importing countries of agricultural products from Angola were Spain (31.3% of the country's total exports in value terms), DR Congo (21.3%) and the Republic of the Congo (17.5%). In total, the top 10 countries accounted for 94.5% of Angola's agricultural exports in 2021.
The hotel and restaurant sector is one of the main sales channels for vegetable oils, this is due to the gradual increase in the number of Western-style catering establishments, where many dishes are deep-fried. The demand for edible oils is sensitive to changes in purchasing power. In the next few years, only a slight increase in the consumption of edible oils is predicted. The most popular edible vegetable oil in Angola is palm oil, because it is the cheapest and most affordable.
Chicken meat and offal are one of the most consumed animal proteins in Angola. A significant part of the local cuisine consists of dishes where chicken is considered the main product. Local consumers prefer to buy live chicken or chilled chicken meat from households in traditional open markets. However, most of the poultry meat is sold frozen. Chilled imported chicken meat is not very popular yet due to high prices in supermarkets. The cost may vary, but fresh chicken meat is usually two to three times more expensive than imported frozen chicken;
After chicken, consumers prefer beef, and then pork and goat meat. At the same time, frozen beef and pork are also in high demand than chilled. Various types of meat offal are also popular, which are also often purchased frozen. When choosing meat and meat products, consumers primarily pay attention to the appearance of products, followed by price and quality.
The pandemic has further shifted consumer demand in Angola towards essential goods, dairy products, especially drinking milk, are considered an integral product in the daily diet of the local population, therefore it is one of the most popular products. Since price is considered a key factor for almost all categories of the population in Angola, many consumers buy powdered milk, which is considered a more economical option with a long shelf life. Cheese and yogurt are quite popular among middle- and high-income people living in urban areas. For most low-income consumers, these products remain unavailable.
