Côte d'Ivoire has become Africa's largest natural rubber producer and the world's fourth-largest, producing approximately 1.1 million tonnes in 2023. Rubber overtook cocoa as the country's largest export by volume in 2022, though cocoa remains more valuable per tonne. Approximately 700,000 hectares are planted with rubber, 65 percent by smallholder farmers who adopted the crop as an alternative to cocoa and food crops after 2000. The country exports almost entirely in technically specified rubber form, requiring further processing in destination markets.
The EV Demand Tailwind
Electric vehicles contain significantly more natural rubber than internal combustion engine equivalents due to heavier vehicle weight requiring higher-performance tyres. This creates a structural tailwind for rubber demand as EV penetration grows globally. A tyre plant in Côte d'Ivoire and a medical glove facility in Ghana represent early downstream processing investments. Liberia's Firestone and Sime Darby estates remain major producers. Rubber buyers, traders, and investors can access market data and West African supplier contacts on intra-africa.com.
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