This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 4/9/2019

Overview

The Gabonese agricultural sector includes food crops, rubber, and palm oil and employs around 20 percent of the population.  However, the sector’s contribution to GDP was only five percent in 2017.  Gabon relies heavily on food imports, which account for the majority of domestic food consumption.  Imported foodstuffs come mainly from France, South Africa, and Cameroon.  Gabon has 22 million hectares of forest, one million hectares of arable agricultural land, and over 800 kilometers of coastline. 

In March 2015, Gabon launched an agriculture initiative known as Gabonese Agricultural Achievements and Initiatives of Committed Citizens program (Gabonaise des Réalisations Agricoles et des Initiatives des Nationaux Engagés / GRAINE).  (The acronym “GRAINE” is French for seed.)  The program is a public-private partnership to expand domestic agricultural production supported by government-provided technical trainings and land grants.  The Singapore-based agricultural conglomerate Olam International is the government’s main technical partner for the program. 
Gabon has a growing class of entrepreneurs producing export-ready foodstuffs including dried fruit and jams, spices, and palm oil.  Many producers are members of Gabon’s African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) group.  Export of these products to the United States under AGOA’s trade preference regime could provide opportunities for wholesale retailers.

Northern Gabon is a prime location for rubber plantations, and rubber trees have been grown in the region for decades by local villagers.  In early 2012, Olam began laying the groundwork for a rubber plantation, located near the city of Bitam in the northern Woleu Ntem province.  As of early 2014, Olam had 476,000 plants in the ground and 7,866 planted hectares in 2016.  Olam is using rubber clones from Cote d’Ivoire and Malaysia and grafting onto locally produced stems.  The finished product is destined for export to Asia.  The rubber processing plant for 2019 will be able to process 225 tons of latex per day.
Gabon signed a $236 million contract in 2010 with Olam to develop 50,000 hectares of palm groves.  The aim is to eventually develop 300,000 hectares of palm groves and to become the top producer of palm oil in Africa.  Since April 2016, Olam has planted 36,254 hectares in Gabon.  Olam is implementing international sustainable development practices throughout their entire supply chain by adopting the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) principles.  In December 2013, Olam constructed a palm oil transformation plant with initial processing capacity of 45 tons per hour operating 25 days per month.  The palm oil is largely destined for CEMAC countries (Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, and Chad) in the region. 

Resources

Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Elevage, de la Pêche et de la Sécurité Alimentaire (Ministry of Agriculture, Farming, Fishing, and Food Security)
B.P. 2087
Tel: +241-01-76-09-78
 
Olam International
http://olamgroup.com/locations/west-central-africa/gabon/
 
African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program
Rachel Ebaneth, President
ebanethf@yahoo.fr
 
World Bank
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gabon/overview
 

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