Vegetable oil value chain in East and Southern Africa
- Dec 1, 2023
- 1 min read
Vegetable oil is a staple food product and its affordability is important for household food security. Yet, on East and Southern Africa, the price of vegetable oil has increased substantially from the beginning 2021 to mid-2022 and at rates that exceed the increases in the main input costs. And, when input prices fell to normal levels, the price of vegetable oil did not adjust downwards.
A report jointly prepared by COMESA and CCRED shows that the vegetable oil markets across the East and Southern African countries are characterised by high levels of concentration in terms of the major suppliers and producers . Around three to four companies account for the majority of supply in each of the markets examined, with the largest companies are integrated across countries and along the value chain.
