Louisiana Looks to Africa for New Trade Opportunities

Louisiana’s Ag Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain went on a trade mission to Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to open new markets for Louisiana farmers and businesses. After an intense 36-hour travel and meeting schedule, he and his team met with government ministers, U.S. Embassy officials, and industry leaders to map out two-way trade. Ivory Coast needs rice, chicken, timber, and energy products that Louisiana produces, while it is a global leader in cocoa, coffee, and cashews that could flow through the Ports of New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Strain called Abidjan a “gateway” to West Africa’s 400 million consumers and said this trip is the first step in a broader regional strategy. With many U.S. farms losing money, he argued that expanding exports to emerging markets like West Africa is key to raising commodity prices and keeping farmers in business.