Togo is Benin's biggest customer in ECOWAS region
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Togo is Benin's best customer among the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the first quarter of the current year, according to a publication by the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSTAD).
"Benin's exports to other ECOWAS countries stood at 28.0 billion CFA francs in the first quarter of 2023, with five main customers: Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Niger and Mali.
"Togo led the pack in the first quarter of 2023, accounting for 44.1% of the value of sales of Beninese products in the ECOWAS zone," INSTAD revealed. Cotton seeds", "cotton fabrics, unbleached (other than gauze, velvet, plush, curly and chenille fabrics)" and "oilcake and other solid residues..." are the main goods exported to Togo, with sales of CFAF 7.2 billion (65,641.1 tonnes), CFAF 1.5 billion and CFAF 0.9 billion respectively during the quarter.
Côte d'Ivoire came second over the same period, accounting for 15.5% of the value of sales of Beninese products in the ECOWAS zone. Lightships, pumpboats, dredgers, crane pontoons, etc. and "cotton fabrics, unbleached, etc." intended exclusively for re-export, followed by "food preparations", were the main goods exported to this country, worth CFAF 3.2 billion, CFAF 0.4 billion and CFAF 0.2 billion respectively.
Ranked third, Nigeria accounts for 14.6% of the value of Beninese product sales within ECOWAS, with "palm oil and its fractions" worth CFAF 1.2 billion (2,809.4 tonnes), followed by "motor vehicles for the transport of goods" and "earthmoving and levelling machinery and equipment" intended exclusively for re-export, worth CFAF 0.8 billion and CFAF 0.7 billion respectively.
Niger maintained the same rank (fourth) as last quarter during the quarter under review, accounting for 12.8% of the value of sales of Beninese products in the economic area.
The main goods exported to this country were "semi-milled rice, whether or not polished, glazed, parboiled or converted (including broken rice)" (CFAF 1.5 billion), "oilcake and other solid residues" (CFAF 0.8 billion) and "cane or beet sugar, raw, in solid form, without added flavouring or colouring", worth CFAF 0.4 billion.
Mali ranked fifth in the quarter under review, accounting for 5.1% of the value of sales of Beninese products in the ECOWAS region.
Exports of goods to this country were dominated by "cotton seeds", worth CFAF 1.2 billion (11,264.0 tonnes), "juice of any other fruit" (CFAF 0.1 billion) and "petroleum or petroleum oils" (CFAF 0.1 billion). (CFAF 0.1 billion) and "petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals..." (CFAF 0.1 billion). (CFAF 0.1 billion, corresponding to 85.1 tonnes) intended exclusively for re-export, the publication points out.
-0- PANA IT/IS/SOC/BBA/RA 20June2023
