Agriculture

Efforts are under way to direct greater focus to Brunei Darussalam’s agriculture sector, in order to both improve food security and create a niche in the global market. Crude oil and natural gas production comprise 60% of GDP and more than 90% of exports, while the agriculture sector’s share of GDP is only 0.72% and employs just 1.4% of the population. To overcome its dependency on food imports, which account for 80% of the national food supply, the sultanate aims to achieve self-sufficiency by increasing capacity while continuing to specifically target halal foods.

In response to rising domestic demand and a fall in production due to last year’s extreme weather conditions, the Philippines has scaled back sugar exports this year, but longer-term prospects for overseas sales as well as expansion in the local market could drive growth in the sector.

Recent acquisitions of Turkish agribusiness interests by Gulf investors have highlighted the sector’s opportunities for expansion in the wider region. However, further development of the industry faces challenges, including the need for additional farm labourers.

Cocoa revenues are set to grow strongly in Nigeria, the world’s fourth-largest producer, thanks to efforts to improve productivity, and higher prices on international markets.

Le déséquilibre annoncé entre l’offre et la demande de cacao devrait profiter à la Côte d’Ivoire, premier producteur mondial de cacao.

Widespread drought is affecting Turkey’s agriculture sector, with the 2014 wheat harvest at particular risk of underperforming and warnings of crop failures in a number of grain-growing regions.