Angola's Massive Animal Feed Imports

Angola's economy relies heavily on subsistence agriculture, but the country still imports over half of its food. Angola's poultry market, in particular, is highly dependent on imports. In 2020, Angola was the ninth-largest importer of U.S. poultry meat by value, importing $80 million worth of poultry. While Angola produces an estimated 42,000 tons of chicken meat per year, it only meets 13% of the total market demand of approximately 312,000 tons annually. This gap between domestic production and market demand has led to a significant reliance on imported poultry, with Angola being the largest U.S. poultry market in Africa and the sixth-largest globally in 2022. This raises the question of how many metric tons of animal feed Angola imports to support its poultry industry and overall livestock sector.

Angola's poultry imports

The country's poultry meat market heavily relies on imports to meet consumer demand. Angola's chicken meat imports were estimated to reach 265,000 metric tons in 2022, with a peak of 317,000 metric tons in 2018. In comparison, the country's chicken meat production was approximately 52,200 metric tons in 2020, accounting for only 13% of the total market demand of about 312,000 tons annually.

The high demand for poultry in Angola can be attributed to chicken meat being the most widely consumed and affordable protein in the country. However, the industry faces challenges due to insufficient supply of animal feed and veterinary medicine, as well as infrastructure limitations. Angola's poultry production has increased slightly, but it still falls short of meeting the local demand, resulting in a continued reliance on imports to bridge the gap.

US exports to Angola

Angola's economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, which provides the main livelihood for most of the country's population. However, more than half of the country's food is imported. In 2020, Angola was the ninth-largest importer of US poultry meat by value, importing $80 million worth of meat. The US is Angola's largest poultry supplier and is expected to remain so in the near future. Angola's livestock farming is primarily based on natural pasture grazing, with beef being the second-largest agricultural product after cassava.

The US exports a variety of goods to Angola, including live animals. Accredited veterinarians can submit health certificates for electronic signature through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) to export live animals to Angola. The US also exports poultry meat to Angola, with Angola being the ninth-largest importer of US poultry meat by value in 2020. In addition, the US has been investing in landmine clearance programs in Angola since 2000, with investments totalling more than $150 million.

In terms of trade, the US exported $595 million worth of goods to Angola in 2023, down from $653 million in 2022 and $1.23 billion in 2013. On the other hand, the US imported $1.2 billion worth of goods from Angola in 2023, a decrease from $1.628 billion in 2022 and $9.49 billion in 2013. The trade deficit between the two countries was $575 million in 2023, a decrease of $370 million from the previous year.

The US has also been supporting the agriculture sector in Angola through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for over 1,800 agricultural products. This has helped bolster economic growth, promote economic and political reform, and improve US economic relations with Africa. The US Government, through USAID, is helping Southern African countries take advantage of AGOA preferences through a $31 million regional program that offers technical assistance and business support to African firms looking to access the US market.

Angola's chicken meat production

The expansion of Angola's poultry sector is hindered by several factors. Firstly, the country does not produce enough grains and oilseeds to support the industry, resulting in a reliance on feed imports. Secondly, Angola's prohibition of genetically engineered (GE) products due to the lack of a national biosafety law significantly increases feed import costs. Additionally, the sector faces challenges related to veterinary services and infrastructure, such as chicken feedlots.

Despite these obstacles, the Angolan government is committed to investing in national production and diversifying the economy. The Production Support, Export Diversification, and Import Substitution (PRODESI) program, launched in 2018, aims to reduce the country's economic dependence on the oil sector. The Credit Support Project (PAC) has also been introduced to facilitate the financing of private investment projects in PRODESI's productive lines. These initiatives reflect the government's efforts to boost domestic production and decrease reliance on imports.

The United States plays a significant role in Angola's poultry industry, being the country's largest poultry supplier. In 2020, Angola was the ninth-largest importer of U.S. poultry meat by value, amounting to $80 million. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced consumer purchasing power, Angola's chicken meat imports from the U.S. decreased by 45% in 2020. It is expected that the United States will remain Angola's primary poultry supplier in the near future.

Looking ahead, Angola's poultry production is projected to increase by 8% in 2024, according to forecasts. However, consumption is anticipated to decline due to consumers' shrinking purchasing power. The devaluation of the Angolan currency (kwanza) and increasing food price inflation have also contributed to a decrease in chicken meat imports since the 2022 presidential elections.

Angola's corn imports

Despite its natural resources and diverse ecology, Angola currently only cultivates around 10%-15% of its 35 million hectares of arable land. This has resulted in a heavy reliance on corn imports, with a notable gap between supply and demand. Angola's current demand for corn sits at 4,500 tons, while local production only yields 1,800 tons. As a result, Angola sources corn from various countries, with Brazil, South Africa, and Turkey being the primary importers.

The country's National Development Plan for 2018-2022 includes initiatives to boost corn production and reduce imports. The Angolan government has implemented the Action Plan for Employability Promotion (PAPE), which aims to increase local production and create jobs. Additionally, the government has targeted corn production specifically, intending to meet domestic demand for human and animal feed through public and private initiatives.

The United States has played a role in Angola's corn industry, with companies like John Deere and Caterpillar supplying agricultural equipment. Angola's focus on agricultural development and its potential for growth make it an attractive market for U.S. agricultural equipment and supply companies in the medium term.

Angola's beef imports

According to the Cooperative of Cattle Producers of Southern Angola (CGSA), an industry association based in Lubango, Huila Province, the cattle population in Angola is approximately 3.5 million head nationwide. However, the country still imports a significant amount of beef, with a target to offset some of the 100,000 tons of beef imported annually. The Angolan government has implemented several initiatives to increase beef production, including improving veterinary health, increasing herd production, strengthening slaughterhouse regulations, and building infrastructure capacity through government projects and credit to private entities.

The United States is also a significant exporter of beef products to Angola, with beef livers being one of the major agricultural exports to the country. In recent years, Angola has been the sixth-largest importer of American poultry and poultry products globally, with imports totaling over $232 million. While Angola produces an estimated 42,000 tons of chicken meat per year, it only meets 13% of the total market demand of approximately 312,000 tons annually. This makes Angola a strong market opportunity for US poultry exporters.

In addition to beef and poultry, Angola also imports a significant amount of other food and agricultural products. In 2022, the country made foreign purchases totaling more than $2.75 billion from over 60 countries. The largest import categories were palm oil, poultry meat, rice, wheat, wheat flour, soybean oil, sausages, and sugar. Angola's imports of chicken meat were estimated to reach 265,000 metric tons in 2022, with the country being the largest US poultry market in Africa.

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