MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS IN THE A SUPPLEMENT TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / Bureau of International Commerce A SUPPLEMENT TO International Commerce ... the weekly news magazine for world traders published by the Bureau of International Commerce and sold by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing- ton, D.C. 20402, and by Department of Commerce Field Offices for $16 a year. A Market for U.S. Products Ivory Coast **?"*< U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE John T. Connor Secretary Alexander B. Trowbridge Assistant Secretary for Domestic and International Business BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE Lawrence A. Fox Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402 Price 65 cents By G. Michael Bache Bureau of International Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce This market study was prepared under the direction of Bernard Blankenheimer, director, Africa Division, Bureau of International Com- merce. It is based on information gathered by Mr. Bache during his recent 3^ year tour of duty as commercial attache at the American Embassy in Abidjan, Capital of the Ivory Coast, and by the present commercial attache there, Wallace F. Holbrook, as well as on numerous official and unofficial publications and U.S. Embassy reports. Valuable assistance was given to Mr. Bache by the personnel of the Africa Division of the Bureau of International Commerce, including especially Miss Alice Bland, William Eisenberg, and William Schrage. Helpful ideas also came from the Commerce Department's market surveys on Nigeria and Liberia, prepared by Arnold Wilken and John Hokanson, respectively. Useful contributions were made by the U.S. Department of State, the Agency for International Development, and the Embassy of the Republic of Ivory Coast in Washington, D. C. The manuscript benefited from careful review by the following officers of the American Embassy at Abidjan: Wallace F. Holbrook, commercial attache, and J. David Gelsanliter, economic officer. It could not have been completed without the wholehearted cooperation of Mr. Holbrook, Mr. Gelsanliter, Miss Etta Young, and Fode Keita, all of the Embassy staff, Abidjan. FOREWORD With the publication of this study, the U.S. Department of Commerce provides U.S. businessmen with the latest information on export prospects in the Republic of Ivory Coast, one of the fastest growing and most prosperous economies in Africa. American trade with the Ivory Coast has been increasing, although U.S. exports constitute only a relatively small proportion of the Ivory Coast's total purchases abroad. Traditionally, the Ivory Coast has relied on French suppliers. Nearly $250 million worth of goods were imported by the Ivory Coast in 1964 but only 9.4 percent of those goods originated in the United States whereas 62.4 percent came from France and 4.6 percent from West Germany. The Ivory Coast import market is growing, and all indicators point to further expansion. This report reflects the optimism of our trade spe- cialists, and particularly of the Africa desk officers in the U.S. Department of Commerce, that opportunities resulting from aggressive American sales- manship are excellent in this widening market. Lawrence A. Fox Director, Bureau of International Commerce January 1966 Foreword Market Profile. Chapters I. Character of the Market II. Market for Consumer Goods Marketing Factors Population Purchasing Power Buying Habits Consumer Requirements Food Products Beverages and Tobacco Clothing Textile Piece Goods Furniture and Household Goods Radios, Phonographs, and TVs Cosmetics and Drugs Other Cor III. Market for Producer's Goods Competition Agriculture Power Industrial Requirements Meat, Fish, and Milk Grain Milling Fruit Processing Coffee and Cocoa Beer and Soft Drinks Tobacco Products and Matches Textiles Footwear Lumber and Plywood Paper, Cardboard, and Printing Rubber and Rubber Products Basic Industrial Chemicals Fats and Oils Soaps and Detergents Fertilizers and Insecticides Paints and Varnishes Miscellaneous Chemicals and Cosmetics Petroleum Products Cement Other Nonmetallic Mineral Products Basic Metal Products Miscellaneous Metal Manufactures Transport Equipment Electrical Apparatus and Appliances Miscellaneous Plastic Products Mining IV. Economic Development Programs Development Agencies Government Budgets United Nations and Other Aid V. Basic Data on Ivory Coast VI. Channels of Distribution Principal Centers Railroad Highways Seaports Inland Waterways Air Transport VII. Trade Practices Importing Methods Quotations and Terms... Credit Facilities Packing Government Procurement VIII. Import Regulations Trade Policy Import Tariffs and Taxes Other Trade Regulations IX. Marketing Aids U. S. Government Business Organizations... Foreign Sources Trade Associations Official Representation... Advertising Appendixes A. American Firms in the Ivory Coast B. Priority Enterprises C. Field Offices of U.S. Department of Commerce D. Bibliography E. Notes for Business Travelers Tables 1. National Income, 1958 and 1960-64, Percent Change, 1958-64 2. Foreign Trade, 1960-64, and Percent Change, 1960-64 3. Principal Exports By Product, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 4. Exports by Destination, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 5. Imports from Principal Suppliers, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 6. Imports by Product Group, in Weight and Value, 1960-64 7. Imports of Food and Food Products, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 8. Imports of Consumer Goods other than Food, in Weight and Value, 1961-64... 9. Imports of Domestic Electric Appliances, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 10. Imports of Radios, Phonographs, Tape Recorders and Phonograph Records, and Value, 1961-64 11. School Enrollment, 1960-64 12. Number of Wage Earners, by Class of Employment, 1960-64 13. Minimum Wages for Unskilled Laborers, 1957-65 Tables, continued 14. Monthly Variation in Retail Price Index, 1962-64 15. Imports of Various Food Products, in Weight and Value, 1962-64 16. Meat Production, 1960-64 17. Imports of Clothing and Other Textile Products, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 18. Imports of Household Goods, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 19. Production and Consumption of Electric Energy, 1960-64 20. Imports of Cosmetics, Drugs, and Medicines, by Principal Supplying Country, 1962-64... 21. Imports of Photographic Equipment, Toys and Sporting Goods, in Weight and Value, 1960-63 22. Imports of Petroleum Products, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 23. Imports of Raw Materials, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 24. Imports of Semimanufactures, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 25. Imports of Capital Goods, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 26. Miscellaneous Imports, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 27. Area Planted to Crops and Agricultural Production, 1960-63 28. Imports of Agricultural Equipment, in Units, Weight, and Value, 1962-64 29. Imports of Heavy Construction Equipment, in Units, Weight and Value, 1962-64... 30. Building Permits Issued in Abidjan, 1961-64 31. Motor Vehicles Operating in the Ivory Coast, 1960-64 32. Imports of Motorcycles, 1961-64 33. Industrial Production, 1960-63 34. Value of Industrial Exports, 1960-63 35. Wood Production, 1960-64 36. Imports of Fertilizers and Insecticides, by Principal Supplying Country, 1961-64... 37. Consumption of Petroleum Products, 1960-64 38. General Operating Budget, 1964-65 39. Rail Traffic, 1960-64 40. Oceangoing Ships Cleared Through Ivory Coast Ports, 1961-64 41. Air Traffic Thru Abidjan and Bouake. 1962-64 Maps Location Political Ethnic groups Population Agriculture and Mining Administrative Transportation Charts Per capita national income America ranks second among suppliers Exports have increased more than imports. 1960 to 1964... Ivory Coast's imports in 1964 Jobs in the Ivory Coast Coffee is the number 1 export America is the Ivory Coast's second best customer Consumption of electricity Photographs: Many of the photographs in this book were supplied by the Ministry of Information of the Ivory Coast Government through its Photo Information Cote DTvoire, Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. Every effort was made to include the most current information available at the time this report went to press. The cutoff date for most of the material was September 1965, but important changes through December 1965 are also included. Market Profile— Ivory Coast Foreign Trade Imports— $247 million in 1964; $171 million in 1963. Major suppliers: France, 62%; other European Economic Community— ECC, 10%; U.S., 9%. Principal imports: Transport equipment, textiles, metal products, machinery, electrical equipment, petroleum products; from U.S.: ma- chinery, vehicles and parts, used clothing, rice. Exports— $304 million in 1964; $232 million in 1963. Major markets: France, 40%; other EEC, 23%; U.S., 21%. Principal exports: Coffee, wood, cocoa, bananas, pineapples; to U.S.: coffee and cocoa. Trade Policv — Member of West African Customs Union and associated with EEC. Preferential tariff in favor of EEC. Commercial treaty gives special privileges to France. Licensing system gradually being relaxed. Trade Prospects — Good opportunities for increased U.S. sales of both producer's and consumer goods. Foreign Investment Total new private investment since 1959, about $250 million, mostly French. U.S. investments include oil refinery and marketing facilities, hotel, banks, diamond mining and tuna fisheries. Investment Guaranty Agreement with U.S. Investment Prospects — Government favors foreign in- vestment with liberal investment code, tax in< entives. Cooley loan funds ($450,000) available. Finance Currency — Communaute Financiere Africaine — CFA franc ($1 = 245 fr CFA). Money supply: $146 million (Novem- ber 1964). Domestic Credit and Investment — Short-term loans supplied by four commercial banks, each a subsidiary of a French bank with American and other foreign stock- holders. Long-term credit available from newly-established Industrial Development Bank and other public or semi- public agencies. National Budget — 1965 operating budget was $130 million. 1965 development budget was $50 million. Foreign Aid — Major contributors: France, about $60 mil- lion since 1960; EEC, $31 million; U.S. $21 million; Ger- many; Israel; and United Nations. Balance of Payments — Annual trade surplus between $30 and $40 million and heavy investment inflow result in strong payments position, more than adequate for imports. Economy Ivory Coast is world's third largest producer of coffee and fourth largest producer of cocoa. Gross domestic product — GDP in 1964 estimated at $870 million and per capita in- come at $186 with agriculture still by far the largest sector, but industry growing rapidly and expected to reach 25% by 1970. Agriculture — Main export crops: Coffee, cocoa, bananas, pineapples. Subsistence crops: yams, plantain bananas, cassava. Government actively diversifying agriculture with $37 million oil-palm project (mostly EEC-financed) and other major programs for cotton, rice, coconuts, rubber. Industry — Lumber, food processing, textiles, soap and other light industry. Value of 1964 industrial production, about $100 million. Oil refinery (capacity 700,000 metric tons) began production late in 1965. Commerce — Foreign trade dominated by expatriate firms. Retail prices in Abidjan, the Capital, rose about 4% in 1964. Forestry — Tropical hardwoods are a major resource, and there are some 60 sawmills. Exports exceed 1 million metric tons per year, but little reforestation is being done. Development Program — Ten-year plan (1960-69) pro- posed public and private investment of $1.4 billion. Plan's goals now being exceeded. Basic Economic Facilities Transportation — 375-mile railroad provides link with Upper Volta. There are 20,000 miles of roads, of which 500 are paved, 7,500 are hard-surfaced. Abidjan is major port with modern facilities, handling over 3 million metric tons of merchandise per year. Other ports are Sassandra and Tabou. Communications — Over 10,000 telephones. International service available to Paris, France, and neighboring African states. Abidjan now has television; relays planned for the Power— 1964 production, about 200 million kwh. Natural Resources Land— 127,520 square miles. Southern half is forest; northern half, savannah. Climate — Hot and humid. Two rainy seasons (May through mid-July and October-November) in forest region. One rainy season in north. Minerals — Manganese, diamonds, and gold being mined. Colombo-tantalite, lithium, and bauxite believed to have commercial possibilities. Fisheries Rapidly expanding, with Government assistance. People Population— 3.8 million; annual growth, 2%%. Principal cities: Abidjan, 300,000; Bouake, 100,000. Language — French is official language. Education— In 1964, 350,000 pupils attended 1,900 primary and secondary schools. Literacy, 20%. Labor — Salaried labor force (including 100,000 agricul- tural) estimated at 210,000. Another 120,000 migrant agri- cultural laborers paid in kind. LOCATION MAP AFRICA MAY 1965 CHAPTER Character of the Market The Republic of Ivory Coast is located on the west coast of Africa between Ghana and Liberia (see loca- tion map). Formerly a French colony, it received its independence in 1960, but France has remained its principal trading partner and source of investment capital. American businessmen have shown an active and growing interest in its potentialities only since its independence. The Ivory Coast is an important and rapidly grow- ing market worthy of the careful attention of U.S. firms interested in profitable opportunities abroad. It is the world's third largest producer of coffee and fourth largest of cocoa. The government is pro-West- ern, friendly to private enterprise, and active in en- couraging sound economic development. Abidjan, the Capital and principal seaport of Ivory Coast, also serves Upper Volta, and, to a lesser extent, Mali and Niger, its neighboring countries, so that the total population of the regional market is more than 15 million persons. The Ivory Coast economy is booming. From 1960 to 1964, gross domestic product (GDP) rose from $595 million to $870 million, an increase of 46 percent, and national income per capita increased from $137 to $186 (see table 1). Preliminary estimates for 1965 indicate GDP of about $1,130 million. These figures put Ivory Coast among the first in tropical Africa, second only to underpopulated Gabon. Nigeria, for example, has a per capita income of only $80. Far more dramatic, however, are the developments in total foreign trade, which doubled between 1960 and 1964; industrial production, which doubled be- tween 1960 and 1963; and electric power consump- tion, which rose 176 percent from 1960 to 1964. Another indication of the basic strength of the econ- omy — and of the fact that Ivory Coast can afford to buy U.S. products — is the consistently favorable over- all balance of trade, which has recently been run- ning at a level of about $60 million per year (see table 2 ) . While much of this sum has, in fact, been returning to France in the form of profits and salaries of Frenchmen working in Ivory Coast, there certainly is no shortage of foreign exchange. The source of the favorable balance of trade is, of course, the rapidly growing exports, which are listed by product in table 3 and by destination in table 4. Except for a few tropical agricultural products and a handful of locally manufactured articles, most pro- ducer's and consumer goods are still imported in nearly direct proportion to demands of consumers, planters, and manufacturers. The correlation, there- fore, between imports and total requirements is much closer than in a country with a more highly developed economy. Total imports, valued at $247 million in 1964, have increased an average of 21.4 percent annually since 1960, including a 44.4 percent, or $75.9 million, in- crease in 1964. During the same period, imports from the United States rose an average of 72.7 percent a year, with a 181 percent, or $15 million, increase to $23.3 million in 1964. A wide variety of consumer and industrial goods is imported in moderate amounts. The broad range of items imported provides a good basis for substantial expansion of U.S. exports of products for which a sales effort is made. The sources of imports in the past have been deter- mined to a large degree by preferential trade arrange- merits and traditional trade channels (see table 5). There are indications, however, that the Ivory Coast market is being opened up to suppliers other than France, so that competitive factors, such as quality, price, and speed of delivery, will play a more impor- tant role in the future than they have in the past. From France, which is still the principal supplier, came a total of 62.4 percent by value of all imports in 1964, but this figure represents a substantial drop from the 70 percent which France supplied in 1961 (67 percent in 1962 and 64 percent in 1963). Ger- many, the third largest supplier, provided 4.6 percent of the value of all imports in 1964. Principal com- mercial imports from the United States are tractors, rice, soybean oil, tallow, heavy construction equip- ment, electrical items, including generators, used clothing, automobile equipment, and air conditioners. Manv items bearing U.S. trademarks enter the Ivory Coast from American-owned plants in Europe or from European firms operating under license from American companies. Thus, well-known American brands of consumer goods are displayed in stores and markets and have reputations for quality. In many cases, exporters seeking to introduce new American lines in the country will find that a "Made in U.S." label or an American brand name has value in itself. United States trade with the Ivory Coast has in- creased in the face of extremely keen competition from other overseas suppliers and, often, in spite of difficult market conditions. French exporters have continued to make strong efforts to maintain their traditional lead- ership in many lines. German, Belgian, Italian, and other European manufacturers are striving energeti- cally to increase their sales in the country. Market acceptance of new lines is often slow because of strongly established brand preferences. Demand for consumer goods in the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries is generated by a rural majority and an urban minority of the population. Consumer goods accounted for 51 percent of imports in 1964. There are about 250,000 Ivoirien farm families who receive an average income of $500 per family from coffee and cocoa. There are also some 210,000 edu- cated Africans, Europeans, and Lebanese in the Ivory Coast living on a western scale. Demand for most of the higher-priced and more sophisticated consumer items exists primarily in the cities where incomes and standards of living are highest. It is in the cities, too, that the larger part of the expatriate population lives. Expatriates number only some 30,000 persons but axe important in the consumer goods market, since they constitute a relatively high income group. Producer's goods consistently occupy a prominent place among Ivory Coast purchases from abroad. Im- ports of producer's goods increased in value by 121.8 percent from 1960 to 1964 and accounted for 49 percent of total imports in 1964. Demand for producer's goods in the Ivory Coast will be set largely by the nature of existing industry, industrial investment planned in the near future, and the large developmental expenditures to be made by the Ivory Coast Government under a 10-year plan. One of the major goals of the 10-year plan is to diversify agricultural production and thereby reduce the Ivory Coast's dependence on coffee and cocoa with their uncertain world market prices. This plan should strengthen the already rapidly growing economy. In view of the prosperity in the Ivory Coast, the trends of imports already established should continue (see table 6). If the efforts of the governments of Ivory Coast and United States to remove the barriers to trade are supplemented by efforts of U.S. business- men to find markets in the Ivory Coast, there is' no reason why the U.S. share of this market should not increase substantially. One of the precursors of such an increase is already visible in the form of the growing interest of U.S. firms in investment in the country. For example, the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, which is the most modern and luxurious hotel in all of West Africa, is managed by Intercontinental Hotels, a subsidiary of Pan American World Airways, which also holds a small investment in the hotel. Furthermore, in May 1965, Pan Ameri- can and Air Afrique inaugurated regular commercial air service between New York and Douala, Cameroon; with intermediate stops at Dakar, Senegal; Monrovia, Liberia; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Cotonou, Da- homey. Other major American investments in the Ivory Coast include Socony-Mobil Oil Co., The Texas Co., and Standard Oil Co. of N.J., with participation in the new oil refinery, which began operations in the fall of 1965; six leading American banks; Van Camp ^*l.. \Bougoum ^^— -^— __^ [j~yf ; m a \ i S/A -5 1 : J \ l/"~ ( M n 1 u p /"\\ j> J v o PER \ / LTA \ V s 1 ; \ (guinea /Beyla / L 8^ I p -„' " /ODIENNE ] / f H < f rs w S >- >?aL V ■■•-• K0RH0B0 \l ~" ' \ I \ w ORTIYA ./ \ ' v v r~" hKATIOLA , 5 I W, BONDOUKOtS. \ Zr ^\Va C s V I } } \.J //SEGUELA^ — — ^x ■ — / n ^Xy^oumu__^M 0UAKE UAfM 5 f \ ( / \ \ DIMBOKRO/yA^-^/.^ jl / ' : -vsAv-A'V- / ^ ngouanou (ABEKfiOUROU , Lf*\ j' GHANA /Ayame' / ^ | ^n: f 1 A^ GAGNQA LIBER] A Va ¥l r i/ ^* -■>. /I /~^G rand Be're'by ^ i^-^fABOU } \ ^ ^- — """"""— ^ agbovilleX ./ d™A [X ,' \ \ \ \abidjan]} Mokta . y^/^^r-^pro^^Q bANDRA GULF OF G / .^BOISSO ( U I N E A ,ecogn,zed by the U.S. Government 8 6 Political IVORY COAST — — Departmental boundary Principal roads 1 I 1 Railroad it Departmental capital Selected seasonal roads •f Principal airports 50 100 150 200 50 100 150 200 K.lometers Sea Food of California, which is now engaged in the tuna fish freezing and storage business, but may soon put up a tuna fish cannery; Harry Winston & Co. of New York, in diamond mining; and Riegel Textiles of North Carolina, in a cloth printing plant. For a list of American companies presently established in the Ivory Coast, see Appendix A. Several other Amer- ican firms are seriously considering new ventures. The size of the Ivory Coast market, however, is not limited to the geographic borders of the Republic of Ivory Coast. Abidjan, its Capital, is the port and rail- head, not only for the Ivory Coast, but for its land- locked neighbor. Upper Volta, and, to a lesser extent, for Mali and Niger. (See political map.) It is esti- mated that at least 7 percent of Abidjan's port traffic is transit trade to and from these economically less- developed inland countries. Many, if not most, Abid- jan business firms service Upper Volta, Niger, and/or Mali as well as the Ivory Coast. Because of their com- mon tribal traditions and languages and their com- mon experience as former parts of French West Africa, the relations among these countries and the Ivory Coast are close. Since their total population is over 15 million, the potential market is not inconsiderable. America ranks second as the Ivory Coast's supplier Imports, 1964, percent SUN-DRIED: Sorting of sun-dried cocoa beans i export market. . the Ivory Coast to produce a product of even quality for the HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY BRIDGE: Highway bridge that connects Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with its Treichville. Abidjan, the Capital, is booming along with the entire country. Thus, the Ivory Coast could be a springboard to the other markets of French-speaking Africa. A free trade area comprising the Ivory Coast, Li- beria, Guinea and Sierra Leone has also been dis- cussed, and some preliminary steps have been taken towards its establishment. While political considera- tions have recently slowed this development and while enormous economic obstacles result from the fact that the four countries belong to four different monetary systems, it is, nevertheless, conceivable that such a free trade zone, probably limited to locally produced goods, might be established in a few years. If so, the increased size of the market area would improve the prospects for U.S. exporters and investors. CHAPTER n Market for Consumer Goods The market for consumer goods in the Ivory Coast may be defined as the demand for food products, tobacco and beverages, cloth and apparel, home fur- nishings and appliances, and other general merchan- dise normally purchased from retail establishments by individuals for their own personal or household con- sumption. Passenger automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles are excluded from this definition, because they can more conveniently be treated under pro- ducer's goods along with trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Consumer goods as defined above represent about half of the Ivory Coast's imports, accounting for some $125 million out of total imports of $247 million in 1964. Per capita imports of consumer goods were thus nearly $34 in 1964 compared with $20 in 1960. If this amount of increase were to continue, total im- ports of consumer goods in 1968 would approach $200 million. But even if the rate of increase were to level off somewhat, the Ivory Coast would still be a significant market for consumer goods. Although agriculture is by far the most important economic activity in the Ivory Coast, food (including foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco) is still a major import category, accounting for 16.6 percent of all imports in 1964, as noted in table 6. The chief items of edible imports include rice, sugar, wheat, wine, and dairy products (see table 7). Im- ports of manufactured consumer goods (excluding foodstuffs and many consumer durables) comprised 33.1 percent of imports in 1964 (see table 8). They consisted primarily of textiles and apparel, house- wares, and drugs and cosmetics. Imports of electric appliances and other leading consumer durable prod- ucts are shown in tables 9 and 10. MARKETING FACTORS Population The population of the Ivory Coast was estimated at 3.8 million as of January 1, 1965, and was increasing at 2.25 percent per year. If present rates of natural increase and immigration continue, the population will exceed 4.5 million by 1973. In 1965, the number of non-Africans living in the Ivory Coast was estimated at 30,000 (25,000 French, 3,000 Lebanese, and 2,000 others) . Non-Ivoirien Africans were estimated at about 1,000,000. including 500,000 Voltaics and 200,000 each from Mali and Guinea. The Ivoirien population itself is divided into more than 60 tribes. The largest of these, the Baoule, is located in the center of the country around the city of Bouake and comprises about 700,000 persons. There are five other principal tribal groups, each with its own language and numerous dialects. (See ethnic groups map.) Virtually all of these tribal groups have their centers in one of the neighboring countries (Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Upper Volta, or Ghana), however, so that the ethnic make-up of the Ivory Coast is rather heterogeneous. Youth and dependency are marked features of the Ivory Coast's population. This is particularly true of the Capital, Abidjan, most of the inhabitants of which are young persons, drawn there in the past 10 years from the villages. Some 45 percent of the population is under 15 years of age. Young persons will, there- fore, continue to represent an important element of the consuming public, and cultivation of their inter- ests and tastes could influence future sales. Another indication of the character of the popula- tion and future trends can be obtained from recent IVORY COAST- ETHNIC GROUPS GULF OF GUINEA H Akan group □ p.™ heraiM 133 Lagoon cluster □ - dingo gr 1 1 K — P |eX □ Vo„. icgrou, AGNI Tribe name (Size of type indicates relative size of tribe. the area arc roughou school enrollment. (See table 11.) The 68-percent increase in enrollment from 1960 to 1964 presages a higher educational level — and, presumably, a higher level of effective demand for consumer goods — in the decades to come. The rural and urban population in 1958 was dis- tributed as follows, in thousands of persons: Rural, total 2,622 Villages under 300 826 Villages of 300 to 1,000 1,2-11 Villages of 1,000 to 2,000 421 Villages of 2,000 to 3,000 134 Urban, total 466 Cities of 3,000 to 5,000 77 Cities of 5,000 to 10,000 - 77 Cities of 10,000 to 40,000 114 Cities of 40,000 or more 198 Source: Ministere des Finances, des Affaires Economiques et du Plan, Direction de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques et Demogi-aiihiiiuts. < \,m pi, x Economiques de la Cote d'lvoire, Abidjan, 1958 and I960, pp. llOff. (Hereafter referred to as Comptes Economiques de la Cote d'lvoire.) The distribution of population has been affected by the movement of some rural residents to the cities in the past few years. Nevertheless, the population is still overwhelmingly rural (see population density map). Nearly one-tenth of the population, or 350,000 per- sons, live in Abidjan and its principal suburbs of Treichville and Adjame. Another 100,000 live in Bouake. Salaried employment from 1960 to 1964 is shown in table 12 and totals about 210,000. In addi- tion, 120,000 agricultural laborers are paid in kind. While this market study is devoted primarily to the Ivory Coast, the market served by Abidjan includes Upper Volta and Mali, which have populations of 4.5 million each, and Niger with 3.2 million. Thus, the total population of the four countries is 16 million. The rural market is very substantial for the so-called trading goods, e.g., sugar, salt, textiles, flour, matches, and pots and pans. Even assuming that half the popu- lation of Niger and Mali receives its imports from ports other than Abidjan, the remainder of Malians and Nigerians plus the Voltaics and the Ivoiriens from the northern half of the country constitute a market of some ten million people. If their income is only $50 a year each, 10 million persons can still mean an important market for the right product. In- come among these agricultural producers, especially those in the Ivory Coast, has risen and should con- tinue to rise, albeit at a less striking rate than that for urban workers. Purchasing Power The consumer market of the Ivory Coast is sharply divided into two distinct elements — the luxury market and the mass market. The luxury market consists of the 30,000 non-Afri- cans and the 180,000 elite urban Africans who live, more or less, at the same level as the non-Africans. The mass market is made up of the other 3,600,000 Africans, mostly rural, whose living standards are considerably lower, but who do, nevertheless, pur- Exports have increased more than imports, 1960 to 1964 Millions of dollars Sou 960 1961 a Statistique et des Etudes Ec suel de Statistiques, Abidjan 1962 1963 es Affaires Economiques et c onomiques et Demographiqu , Ivory Coast, January 1963 a ..1964 u Plan, Direction es, Bulletin nd January 1965. (Her eafter referred to as Bulletin chase considerable quantities of imported merchan- dise. Within the mass market, there are some 250,000 African families in the southern and central part of the country who are coffee and cocoa planters. They stand out above the rest because of the more than $500 per family which they receive annually from their cash crops. Income per family in the north, on the other hand, is estimated at $140 per year. The average annual income of African families in Abidjan is estimated at $850, or just over $70 per month. This average includes, of course, some ele- ments from both the luxury and mass markets. Thus, the greatest concentrations of purchasing power will be found in the urban areas and in the southern part of the country where commercialized agriculture and forestry have made the greatest prog- ress. The average per capita income in 1964 was esti- mated at $186 in the Ivory Coast, $50 for both Upper Volta and Niger, and less than $70 in Mali. It is higher in the Ivory Coast than in any other country of tropical Africa except Gabon. Another indicator of purchasing power is the level of wages. Wages of unskilled labor in the Ivory Coast were 55 percent higher than those in Nigeria while those of other workers were 40 percent higher. Mini- mum legal wages in the Ivory Coast were raised on November 1, 1963, by 6 percent to the levels shown in table 13. It will be seen from the table that an unskilled laborer in Abidjan must be paid a minimum of 42.4 fr (17.3 cents) per hour, but since the cost of required fringe benefits amounts to 30.5 percent, the value of this wage is really 22.6 cents per hour. While not a living wage by U.S. standards, it is high for Africa. In practice, average wages in Abidjan range from $30 to $40 per month for unskilled laborers and $40 to $80 for semiskilled workers. Skilled labor earns from $50 to $500 per month and is scarce. All of these rates are slightly lower outside of Abidjan and vicinity. In conclusion, with regard to purchasing power, it may be said that the number of low- and middle- income consumers appears to be rising, along with increases in wages and noticeable improvements in living standards. Buying Habits Expenditure patterns vary widely in the Ivory Coast between urban and rural populations and between in- come groups within these two populations. Extremes in standards of living are presented on the one hand by the high-income urban groups with consumption patterns very similar to those of Americans and, on the other hand, by subsistence farmers in remote areas who may have only occasional contact with the money economy. Perhaps the most obvious trend among African consumers, however, is the increasing adoption of European and American tastes and standards of living, Western goods are, in effect, taken as being synony- mous with a higher standard of living and are sougr by Africans no less avidly than by consumers els( where in the world. Consumption patterns are mod- eled most closely after European and American stand- ards in the larger cities and towns which are the seats of government and the centers of trade and industry. The tendency to adopt Western standards of living is observable, however, to some degree wherever the money economy has penetrated. Bicycles, patent medi- cines, radios, detergents and scouring powder, West- ern clothing, cosmetics, and even corn flakes are a part of the everyday life of a wide and increasing seg- ment of the population. Many employees in private business and in government with reasonable prospects for increasing incomes in future years aspire to such material acquisition as television sets and automo- biles. These aspirations are by no means totally un- realistic; a considerable number of higher income Ivoiriens already possess these items as well as a wide range of other articles, including refrigerators, gas and electric ranges, radio-phonograph combinations, air conditioners, and motorcycles. The most effective label on an item to be sold in West Africa is one which is already widely recog- nized in European or American markets. In most cases, therefore, little is to be gained by designing new package markings especially for the purpose of appealing to the African customer. In fact, when the packaging of an item already being sold in the coun- try is to be changed in any way, the new package, if at all possible, should first be displayed in the larger retail outlets where the expatriate and high-income Ivoirien population does its shopping. The new pack- age should be advertised enough to assure the con- sumer that only the package and not the product has been altered. Where the item has been enjoying good sales in the Ivory Coast, such changes should be made only after careful consideration and consultation with local marketing specialists to ensure that adverse ef- fects on sales are not encountered. If a product, such as a refrigerator or air condi- tioner, is designed to meet particular African condi- tions, every effort should be made to present it as of high quality and as having been produced to satisfy those specific African needs. The Ivoirien has a very sharp appreciation of the value of money and is a very discriminating shopper. He considers price carefully and is extremely con- scious of quality — especially in articles with which he is familiar. Products of demonstrably high quality, products with established reputations for quality, or products which are valued for some particular fea- ture sell consistently better and at higher prices than merchandise of either actual or reputed inferior qual- ity. Ivoirien consumers will ordinarily purchase the highest quality article possible within their means, businessmen report. Buying for prestige value is prevalent in articles for personal consumption and sometimes occurs in items for business use. A firm distributing office equipment, for example, has stated that when one shop on a street buys a piece of equipment from the company, all simi- lar shops on that street will almost certainly make similar purchases within a short time. The Ivoirien 's valuation of any particular product's features may often differ widely from that of the con- sumer in the United States or Europe. Generally, this is now marked with increasing distance from the rela- tively sophisticated high-income urban market. In many of the villages of Upper Volta and the northern part of the Ivory Coast, for instance, wooden matches — a standard trading item all over the country — will not sell unless the sticks are dyed red. These match- sticks are believed to burn better than those of natural- color wood. Other examples of consumer idiosyncracies in Ivory Coast are numerous. In many cases, the manufac- turer cannot possibly anticipate these factors without a close, firsthand look at the market where his prod- ucts will be sold. A trip to Ivory Coast and discus- sion with persons having extensive experience in the area might well save the prospective American ex- porter from costly errors in packaging, pricing, distri- bution, and advertising. 10 M >8 *• J 3»$ y$ ***** . * r, . t "* -4 t ■■■■: '-;h.,-^— ----!>*-• 5^~ TREICHVILLE MARKET : A variety of goods, including clothing as well as fresh fruit and vegetables and meat are sold at this tivo-story, open-air, municipal market built in 1963 in Treichville, a suburb of Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. Close attention should be given to the size of the container and the type of packaging material in which the item will be sold. Many products are sold at the retail level in very small quantities, and, for types of goods where this factor is relevant, manufacturers may well find it advantageous to package accordingly. Con- tainers usually have value in West Africa aside from their contents — they are used to store food in the home and for a variety of other purposes — so that reusable containers, of glass, metal, or plastic are generally preferable to paper cartons or cellophane bags. Consumers in the Ivory Coast are susceptible to sales presentations that stress eye appeal, styling, status, beautification, utility, and economy. For those who can afford it and even for those who sacrifice in order to acquire it, foreign brand consumer merchan- dise is highly prized, especially if it is an American brand. In fact, brand consciousness is noticeable among all walks of life. Seventy years of French influence have served to enhance the desirability of owning and using Western products, while retaining some of the attributes of African living. Thus, an effective sales approach, as far as consumer goods are concerned, should be de- signed to appeal to a blend of Western and African tastes. American products bearing labels in French should clearly convey the fact that the product is made in the United States. Otherwise, the product may be con- fused with a local manufacture and sell at a reduced price. In many cases, labels in French can and should be added in Abidjan. In general, except in the few cases where African customs, beliefs, and predilections dictate otherwise, a sales presentation geared for the U.S. market is suit- able for the Ivory Coast. Among the more significant local sensitivities, color is particularly important. Bright colors should be used. Because of the wide- spread illiteracy, clearly identifiable nonverbal sym- bols, e.g., animals, flowers, are particularly useful identifying products and brands. In order to protect against the possibility of offend- ing Ivory Coast customers, the supplier should seek the advice of his local representative wherever possi- ble and treat sympathetically suggestions on color, design, packaging, and labeling. CONSUMER REQUIREMENTS The expenditures of African households in Abidjan were surveyed by the Direction de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques de Demographiques — Office of Statistics in 1960 and 1961. As a result, a retail price index was developed, which was weighted in 11 accordance with the findings of the survey. (See table 14.) More than half of cash expenditures of the Afri- can households were devoted to food. Needless to say, the expenditure pattern of the rural population is quite different. Food Products Although primarily an agricultural nation, the Ivory Coast imports many foods. The two major imported commodities, by value, are rice and sugar. Imports of both have tended to increase in recent years with in- creases in demand and failure of domestic rice pro- duction to keep pace with this demand. Domestic sugar production is virtually nonexistent. Programs aimed at making the country self-sufficient in rice by about 1970 and in sugar by about 1975 are being given high priority by the Ivory Coast Government. The Government of the Republic of China (For- mosa) is providing technical assistance in rice produc- tion, and there are now more than 100 Chinese rice experts working in Ivory Coast. These programs, if successful, will eventually eliminate import of these products. Nevertheless, in the interim, these two com- modities constitute significant markets, and U.S. rice, both commercially and under the Food for Peace program, is filling an important part of this demand. Cereal preparations may be divided into three cate- gories: flour, noodles, and baked goods. Ivory Coast imports of these three categories are shown in table 15, and consumption is substantial and growing rapidly. Although the bulk of Ivory Coast wheat flour needs is now met by the local flour mill, there will always be some demand for imported wheat flour of various special types. Noodles are rapidly becoming popular with urban Africans who can afford something better than cas- sava and plantain. While local manufacture of noo- dles is projected, it will probably be some years before this takes place. Furthermore, even if local production replaces some imports, there will still be a market for high-quality and specialized noodles of various types which the local factory cannot produce. While bread is baked locally, other baked goods, including 5-gram "bush biscuits," are a traditional import for the rural mass market as well as the urban market. Consumption of these biscuits is estimated at 600 metric tons * in 1965 and 1,200 tons in 1970. Meat consumption per capita in the Ivory Coast is relatively low. The northern half of the country is climatically fairly well suited to livestock production and efforts are being made by the Government to en- courage this activity, but this is of necessity a very long-range program, since the farmers would have to 1 The term "ton," as used in this report, means the metric ton of The Ivory Coast's imports in 1964 amounted to $247 million Millions of dollars oomest/c ' Finished goods 1*7 152.1 •'Food, \ /v40.9 beverages | \|\ /38.o\ v and tobacco/ >N. \^ /Fuels and xN^ / Semi- ' manufacti \ n, 1 ' 1 /" lubricants iresvr\ Raw materials 5.7 — -^ \\/- Animal and For agriculture 1.8 -" t vegetable 4.7 Mineral 1.0 Imports, total - $247.0 Source: Bulletin N kensuel de Stc itistique, Jan. 1964 and Jan. 1965, p. 12. jdes all air conditioners, The item, "Finishe id goods for i ndustry" inch refrigerators and many other i terns which a re used by consumers rather than industry. revolutionize their habits. Meanwhile, live animals on the hoof are imported from Upper Volta and Mali and some fresh and frozen meat is flown in from Bamako. In addition to this meat for the mass market, (see table 16) substantial quantities of fresh and frozen meat are imported for the Europeans and the wealthier Africans living in Abidjan and other cities. Quantity and value of these imports are shown in table 15. More than one-half (261 out of 500 tons in 1963) of these imports were of beef; 254 tons of that beef came from France. Knowledgeable sources in Abidjan have stated that French beef is much more expensive than American beef and much less uniform in quality. This would seem to be an especially promising market if American beef exporters would only go after it. While fish is already an important element in the diet, the Ivory Coast Government is undertaking an ambitious program to increase fish production. The people near the coast eat fresh fish, while those in the north eat salted fish from the Niger River in Mali (which does not appear in import statistics) and canned sardines from Morocco. In general, local sources seem sufficient to meet most demands for fish and fish products. Flour, canned meats and fish, tomato sauce, bouil- lon cubes, milk (canned, dried, or reconstituted), cookies, crackers and similar products are used as supplements to the traditional African diet of yams, plantains, cassava (manioc), corn, fish, and limited amounts of locally butchered meat and poultry. Population Density IVORY COAST No. of inhabitants per sq. km. 5 to 10 15 to 20 LJ Less than 5 10 to 15 More than 20 9 50 100 150 200 Miles 50 100 150 200 Kilometers It appears that the processed foods listed above, as well as canned fruits, canned vegetables, canned soups, cake mixes, etc., constitute market opportunities which are being missed by American exporters. American products in these categories sell well in other West African countries, such as Nigeria and Liberia, and ought to be marketable in the growing Ivorien market if a sufficient sales effort is made. While the United States suffers from tariff discrimination, the amount is only 5 percent in most instances, which should not be an insuperable obstacle (see Chapter VIII). Frozen foods are sold in Abidjan, although their potential is somewhat limited, because relatively few homes are equipped with refrigerators. Small quantities are typical of food packaging in West Africa. Consumers tend to purchase food for immediate needs rather than to keep stock in the home. Beverages and Tobacco Beer is by far the most popular European-type alcoholic beverage in the Ivory Coast, and there are two breweries in Abidjan. Nevertheless, imports are significant. French and North African wines appear well entrenched, as do European hard liquors, particu- larly certain brands of gin and scotch, but strong pro- motional efforts by U.S. firms might be able to over- come at least part of this lead. The lighter flavor of American whisky, for example, might have substan- tial local appeal. Several soft-drink bottling plants are in operation in the Ivory Coast, fully meeting local demand. A large part of the Ivoirien market for cigarettes is also being met by local production, from factories in Abidjan and Bouake. Prices are below those of im- ported cigarettes, but there is still some demand for imports among the middle- and high-income popula- tion, and the United States is already an important participant in the market. There is also considerable rural demand for "black-fat" tobacco for which the United States is a source. Clothing Clothing and textiles are the next largest category of consumer goods imports and offer especially inter- esting prospects for U.S. exporters. Much of the de- BANANAS ON TOP: Bananas top pineapples as an export crop of the Ivory Coast. The Standard Fruit Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, is cooperating with the Ivory Coast banana growers'' cooperative in improving the packaging of fresh bananas for export. PS wis' jSk iw^ 1 "r- W\ J \ i& r '^r r k mand, as can be seen from table 8, is for cotton piece goods. The market for readymade clothing has alos grown rapidly, but part of it is now being met by local manufacture. The Ivoirien market for readymade clothing is divided sharply into an urban market for high-quality garments and a mass market, both urban and rural, for inexpensive goods. The mass market is still sup- plied in large part by imports of second-hand articles. In this market, price is ordinarily a decisive considera- tion, although there is a high degree of quality con- sciousness. With Western clothing being worn by a gradually widening segment of the population, the new cloth- ing market holds considerable promise of future growth (see Table 17). In Government and business circles in Abidjan, suits are the usual dress; one sel- dom meets traditional attire except in smaller retail outlets. Moderately priced men's suits, shirts, and sportswear are in steady demand. Wash-and-wear styles in newer fabrics appear to have very good pros- pects. As in other parts of West Africa, children's wear is in brisk demand. Most school-age children are dressed in modern styles, even though their parents may wear traditional clothing. The market for cloth- ing accessories should not be ignored. While a few clothing specialty shops have been established in recent years, most clothing is still distributed by gen- eral merchants. Textile Piece Goods The size of the market for cotton piece goods is almost four times that for readymade garments. The textile market is extremely complex and sensitive with regard to changing preferences in patterns and shades. The brightly colored cotton prints for the traditional robes and dresses of the Ivoiriens are im- ported mainly from France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Nigeria and Liberia now import significant amounts of cotton textiles from the United States, however, and there is no reason why the Ivory Coast could not do so. Imports of discontinuous syn- thetic fabrics are also considerable. Ivoirien textile imports can, of course, be expected to decrease as local production increases, but any serious decline ap- pears to be a long way off. Imports of rugs, blankets, linens, etc., are shown in table 18. All of these mar- kets, while small, are growing rapidly. Furniture and Household Goods One of the most promising markets is that for house- hold furnishings and appliances. Housing standards have risen in urban areas. Salaried employees in the middle- and upper-income brackets purchase a wide range of amenities for the home. Even rural families often purchase simple, basic items of furniture, such as beds, tables, and chairs, as soon as they become financially able, acquiring more elaborate furniture and fixtures as they move up the economic ladder. Requirements for furni- ture are met by both domestic production and im- ports, the domestic items filling a significant part of the furniture needs of the lowest economic classes, with a larger percentage of imported furniture being used by the higher income groups. Recent furniture imports are shown in table 18. Furniture designed so that it can be imported in dismantled form and assembled at the point of destination, thus reducing shipping and packing costs, as well as damage in tran- sit, would seem to offer good market prospects. Recent expansion of electric power production (see table 19) and reduction of rates in many centers outside of Abidjan and Bouake should have a bene- ficial effect on the demand for consumer durables, such as household refrigerators, stoves, air condi- tioners, and other sophisticated appliances. Recent imports of domestic appliances are shown in table 9. Electric appliances (220 volt, 50 cycle) and gas ap- pliances supplied by bottled gas already enjoy a good market in urban areas. Prestige is often attached to ownership of these appliances. Because of the Ivory Coast's climate, air condi- tioning and refrigeration equipment are particularly desirable. In fact, large American refrigerators should be preferable to small European ones, because of the tropical climate and the need to keep virtually all foods under refrigeration. Small appliances, such as irons and toasters, sell steadily at a good volume; moderately priced American products could prob- ably compete. With the completion of the oil re- finery in the fall of 1965, a plentiful supply of liquid petroleum gas has become available in the Abidjan area. The market for gas-fueled air conditioners might therefore be worth studying at this time, along with that for other gas appliances. There is still a mass market for kerosene appliances of all sorts. Villagers in even the most remote areas are likely to possess kerosene lanterns, cook stoves, and irons of rather poor quality. There should be some demand for more attractively styled, better- built items in this field. Radios, Phonographs, and TVs If recent trends continue, radios and record players will command a good market. Some 10,000 radios, particularly transistor types with shortwave bands, are imported every year despite the establishment in 1961 of a local assembly plant with an annual capacity of 10,000 sets a year. Phonographs are also very popular and portable or table models are the best sellers. American jazz records are eagerly sought. 15 RURAL SCHOOL: Ivory Coast children laugh and play during their recess. Television sales are severely limited by the high cost of the sets, but the installation of three new relay transmitters should stimulate increased sales. If American sets adapted to French standards could compete with locally assembled sets, there would be a small, but growing, market for them. Cosmetics and Drugs Virtually all types of cosmetics and medicinal prep- arations enjoy a strong market in the Ivory Coast. Department stores and pharmacies in the cities have attractive assortments of products for sale, but even the smallest marketplace in the most remote village will also have a variety of these goods ranging from perfume to tonics and cough medicine. Sales of cosmetics have risen sharply in recent years and competition has intensified accordingly. (See table 20). Continued rapid growth is anticipated as increasing numbers of women are employed in 16 stores and offices. The U.S. enjoys a special advan- tage in this field over its European competitors, be- cause of its long experience with cosmetics designed especially for Negroes, such as hair straighteners, facial creams, etc. Yet little has been done so far to exploit this advantage in the Ivory Coast. Toilet soaps, hair preparations, petroleum jelly, skin creams, face powder, and talcum powder are perhaps the lead- ing sellers at present. But other cosmetic products also have considerable potential. Because of dietary deficiencies, nutritional prod- ucts account for a very large proportion of the drug items sold in the Ivory Coast. While children and expectant mothers constitute the largest market for vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements, other customers are also present. In the past, no pharmaceutical products were permitted to enter the country without the approval of French drug authori- ties, but a new law regulating imports of pharma- ceutical products was passed by the Ivory Coast Na- tional Assembly in the fall of 1965, opening the mar- ket to non-French products on an equal basis. As with other consumer products for the mass market, packaging in very small quantities is an im- portant feature. Other Consumer Items Soaps and detergents of all kinds sell well in the consumer market. Soap has been manufactured lo- cally since 1930, and a detergent factory began pro- duction in Abidjan in 1964. Nevertheless, there re- mains a market for imported goods in these cate- gories, most of which are now produced in European plants of internationally known firms. Imports of cameras and photographic supplies and equipment are progressing steadily (see table 21) and might represent openings for certain American goods. Games and toys are also a significant market. Retail prices of games and toys in Abidjan are par- ticularly high, making American competition rela- tively easy. Importation of guns and ammunition for hunting appear to be declining, but are still suffi- ciently large to be worth investigation by American suppliers. Almost half the jobs in the Ivory Coast are in agriculture, forestry and fishing Ci mmerce and services 31,000 33,000 1 Tr ansportation 18,000 In nstruction and public work ustry and power | 38,000 Agriculture, forestry and fishing 90,000 Total 210,000 CHAPTER in Market for Producer's Goods In Africa, producer's goods are taken to mean the demand for petroleum products, raw materials, semi- manufactures, capital goods, and miscellaneous imports which are used by agriculture and industry in the production of goods for the domestic economy and for export. Passenger automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles are also included even though some of them should, strictly speaking, be treated as consumer dur- ables. Producer's goods, as defined here, now repre- sent just under half of the Ivory Coast's imports, accounting for some $122 million (out of total im- ports of $247 million) in 1964. This compares with only $55 million (out of total imports of $121 mil- lion) in 1960. Thus, in 4 years, imports of pro- ducer's goods not only more than doubled — along with all imports — but increased from 45 percent to 49 percent of total imports. Fuels and lubricants (primarily petroleum prod- ucts ) are essential in the Ivory Coast for the pro- duction of thermal electric power and for road and rail transport. Imports of fuels and lubricants ac- counted for 4.5 percent by value of total imports in 1964 (see table 22). Raw materials for industry comprised only 2.3 per- cent of imports in 1964, but are rapidly growing in importance. Major items include vegetable oil and tallow for the soap industry, salt, and sisal (see table 23). Semimanufactures amounted to 15.3 percent of 1964 imports. They consist primarily of building ma- terials (especially cement and structural steel), but also include chemicals, fertilizer and certain paper products (see table 24). Capital goods accounted for 28.2 percent of total imports in 1964. Principal categories are machinery and equipment, electric generating equipment, auto- mobiles, and trucks and other transport equipment (see table 25). Miscellaneous imports comprised 4.1 percent of 1964 imports. They included burlap bags (for coffee and cocoa), ceramics and glassware, precision instru- ments, and paints and varnishes (see table 26). With the favorable outlook for continued growth of private investments on the one hand and with the very large public investments programed under the Ten-Year Plan on the other, the market for producer's goods should maintain its upward trend. MARKETING FACTORS Competition While the overall picture for the producer's goods market is strong, vigorous sales efforts will be re- quired to increase the U. S. share. American techni- cal equipment, of course, is widely known for its high quality and durability, but its delivered price often exceeds that of the foreign competitive products. Consequently, sales of this American equipment and material may not increase except by active selling on the part of the manufacturers. A firm seeking to enter this field will need effective distribution, servic- ing, and sales promotion in the country. This is a competitive market. French as well as German, British, and other European firms and ex- port associations have technical and sales personnel permanently assigned in the Ivory Coast to ensure that proper personal contacts are made, that equip- ment is correctly installed, and that after-sales serv- icing is adequate. Firms attempting to enter the capi- tal equipment market have adopted aggressive and 19 sometimes unconventional marketing and financing techniques. The present position of French and other European machine manufacturers is strengthened by several fac- tors. First of all, most of the industrial and con- struction equipment in the Ivory Coast prior to in- dependence was brought in by the French and was of French manufacture. Another factor is that almost all Ivoiriens in technical and managerial positions have received their training and education in France; they are familiar with French equipment and mate- rials and are prone to specify these items for the jobs or operations with which they are concerned. In ad- dition, French standards are used for all physical specifications. Equipment and materials, to be usable in the Ivory Coast, must in most cases conform to these standards, which differ significantly from those in the United States. Still another factor is that the major part of the privately financed industrial devel- opment in the Ivory Coast today is being undertaken by French and European investors who are likely to equip the new plants with machinery from their home countries. The position of French machine manufacturers in the Ivory Coast market, however, is changing gradu- ally. For example, a few Ivoirien engineers and other professional persons are now receiving advanced train- ing in the United States under the participant train- ing programs of the AID or under private auspices. They are learning about new American processes, equipment, and materials, some of which they will certainly find suitable for use in the Ivory Coast. In addition, American investors are taking an increasing part in the development of industry in the Ivory Coast, so that the range of U.S. manufacturing and processing equipment installed in the country is wid- ening. In general, the market for very specialized indus- trial and processing equipment is not large. The manufacturing sector is expanding very rapidly, how- ever, and sales opportunities are increasing for such specialized lines as lumber milling, furniture manu- facturing, food processing, and clothing manufacture. Greatest opportunities, however, aside from agri- cultural and land-clearing equipment, appear to lie in the market for general industrial machinery; for example, electric motors, grinders and polishers, ma- terials handling equipment, air compressors, general metalworking and woodworking machinery and hand- tools. Machinery of this sort is used in practically all types of shops and factories and will be needed in- creasingly as existing industry modernizes and ex- pands and as new plants are established. Demand is also strong for replacement machinery in plants already operating. The usable life of tools and machinery in the Ivory Coast is reported by plant managers to be considerably shorter than in many other parts of the world. Equipment tends to deterio- rate under the hot, humid, conditions that prevail in most of the country unless special maintenance meas- ures are taken. Tools and machinery receive hard usage in many factories. A very liberal investment code was enacted in 1959, which provides for priority status for industries that will benefit the economy. Enterprises which receive priority status obtain many tax advantages, includ- ing exemption from import duties on machinery and imported raw materials, for periods of 5 to 25 years. These provisions make priority enterprises espe- cially promising prospects for U.S. exports, because they are not subject to the preferential tariffs which would otherwise place U.S. goods at a price disad- vantage vis-a-vis EEC goods. A list of priority enter- prises, now numbering 45, is given in appendix B. The principal determinants of the present and fu- ture market for producer's goods in the Ivory Coast are: (1) the structure of private industry in the coun- try at present and the lines along which industrial development is taking place most rapidly; and (2) agricultural, construction, and deve^pment projects being carried out by the Government under the Ten- Year Plan. Agriculture The Republic of Ivory Coast has, for some years, been Africa's largest — and the world's third largest — producer of coffee. It is also the world's fourth larg- est producer of cocoa. The economy of the Ivory Coast is, therefore, heavily influenced by the fluctuat- Coffee is the number 1 export Exports • 1964 (Millions of dollars) 20 \ ^ PRINCIPAL IMPORT: Capital goods are an essential item among the purchases in the Ivory Coast. Generating equipment for this powerplant in Abidjan was imported. ing world prices of these two commodities, but de- pendence on coffee and cocoa is decreasing because of the enormous and successful government effort to diversify agricultural production and to industrialize. While coffee, cocoa, bananas, and pineapples still dominate Ivoirien agriculture, some of the new crops being developed are palm oil, rice, cotton, rubber, corn, and sugar. Agricultural production in recent years is shown in table 27. The value of export crops is shown in table 3. Ambitious projects have been designed — and are being carried out — for expansion of certain phases of agricultural production. These projects will re- sult in a significant demand for land-clearing and agricultural machinery. Recent imports of agricultural equipment and machinery are shown in table 28. They are not any real indication of future demand, how- ever, since some of the biggest projects are just now getting underway. In fact, of all the product groups mentioned in this market survey, agricultural equip- ment and land-clearing machinery are probably the most promising as U.S. exports. Construction Another products group which cuts across agricul- tural and industrial lines is construction equipment and building materials. The market for building and construction equip- ment and materials also is strong and growing strong- er (see table 29). The pace of building has been rapid in recent years with new offices, plants, and homes springing up in the principal governmental and commercial centers. Steadily increasing needs for housing in urban areas, new manufacturing indus- tries, and publicly financed building and construc- tion projects called for in the development plan indi- cate that the high level of construction activity will continue. It was estimated, 1 for instance, in connec- tion with the plan that out of total public and private capital expenditures of nearly $1.4 billion, construc- tion costs from 1960 to 1969 would amount to $800 million. Among larger projects proposed for the next few years are the Bandama Dam and a multimillion dollar port at San Pedro (between Sassandra and Tabou). Work on the port began in 1965. Private construction has increased steadily (see table 30). There thas been a considerable increase in the number of small African building contractors, some of whose activities are not recorded in the statis- tics. If imports of cement are used as a basis (see table 24), the increase is much more apparent. 1 Ministere des Finances, des Affaires Economiques et du Plan, Perspectives Decennnles de Developpement Eeonomique et Social, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, December, 1962. Most of the sanitary and kitchen plumbing and fixtures, electrical switches and outlet boxes, plastic or aluminum conduit for household wiring, and plastic and rubber composition floor tile on the Ivoirien market are of French or other European manufacture and, by American standards, are poorly styled and not especially well built. Plumbing and electrical items, of course, must conform to French specifications to be marketable. If American firms were to take more of an interest in construction and engineering in the Ivory Coast, as they do in Ni- geria, it would follow that the markets for these prod- ucts would improve. Electric current in the Ivory Coast is 220-volt, 50 cycle alternating current. Power Electric power production and consumption are in- dicated in table 19. The striking feature of these statistics is the fact that they have increased at a compound rate of more than 30 percent per year. In June 1965, the second of two turbines at the Ayame II dam was put into operation, thus bring- ing Abidjan's installed capacity to about 85,000 kw.-hr. of which 50,000 kw.-hr. is hydroelectric (Ayame I and II), and the remainder is thermal. Despite this major installation and numerous ther- mal power plants throughout the country, including 6,000 kw.-hr. at Bouake, electric power production will soon be insufficient for the rapidly growing econ- omy. For this reason, plans have been made to build a large dam at Kossou on the White Bandama River (near Bouafle). A proposal for a dam with a 138,000 kw.-hr. generating plant, costing about $70 million, is presently being studied by the Interna- tional Bank for Reconstruction and Development — the World Bank. Associated projects for irrigation, transportation, and industry would bring the capital cost of the dam complex up to about $150 million. In addition to generating and transmission equip- ment for this major project, there is steady demand for thermal power generating equipment. Such equip- ment, which has thus far been concentrated in the two major cities — Abidjan and Bouake — will inevi- tably be needed in increasing quantities for municipal power supplies in the other cities and towns. There is also a growing demand for smaller generators for plantations, isolated sawmills, and numerous other applications. INDUSTRIAL REQUIREMENTS The value of industrial production in the Ivory Coast (see table 33) doubled from $47.4 million in 1960 to $95.1 million in 1963; 1964 production un- doubtedly showed a further increase although accu- rate figures are not yet in. Even in 1963, industrial 22 production accounted for 12 percent of GDP. Lim- ited almost entirely to processing of some agricultural and forestry products for export a few years ago, the country's manufacturing and processing sector now provides a widening range of goods for the do- mestic market. In fact, some 25 percent of industrial production now goes to the export market (see table 34). There seems little doubt that industrial develop- ment will move steadily ahead with the growth of market opportunities in the Ivory Coast's steadily ex- panding economy. The market for industrial equipment and machinery depends, of course, on the manufacturing enterprises already operating and to be established. Most rapid growth in recent years has been observed in indus- tries aimed at transforming agricultural products and supplying basic domestic needs, such as manufactur- ing and processing of textiles, footwear, food prod- ucts and beverages, building materials, furniture, and household and kitchen utensils. Much of the indus- trialization in the near future will consist of a filling out process as existing plants are expanded and new factories are established in these same basic lines. Growth can also be expected in a broader range of light manufacturing as well as in ancillary and serv- ice industries, such as fabrication of containers and packaging materials, and in the assembly and re- pair of industrial motors and transportation equip- ment. Meat, Fish, and Milk A slaughterhouse in Abidjan produces meat of low quality; most of the cattle is brought in on the hoof from Mali, Niger, Upper Volta and the northern part of the Ivory Coast. Official statistics concerning meat production are shown in table 16. The Govern- ment is encouraging improved livestock breeding in the northern half of the country for which it is well suited climatically; eventually, a meat industry could develop there but now appears a long way off. Mean- while, modern slaughterhouses are being built in neighboring countries to the north, which should lead to demand for refrigerated trucks and railroad cars to bring the meat to Abidjan and Bouake for distri- bution. The fishing industry is growing rapidly. Local fishermen using pirogues (small, open boats, some- what similar to dugout canoes) catch some 16,000 tons of fresh fish per year. The Ivory Coast also has an industrial fishing fleet, which consisted in 1965 of 31 trawlers, 35 seiners, and 4 tuna vessels. This fleet produced some 38,000 tons of fresh fish in 1964 (up from 25,000 tons in 1962). An additional 6,500 tons of frozen tuna was transshipped in 1964 from Abidjan to canneries in Europe and Puerto Rico. America is the Ivory Coast's second best customer Exports, 1964 , percent Senegal 1 Morocco 1.1 Others 10.3 Source: Bulletin Mensuel de Stotistique, Jan. 1964 and Jan. 1965, p. 9. Chambre de Commerce de la Republique de Cote d'lvoire. Bulletin Mer June 1965, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 1965. (Hereafter referred to as Bulletin Mensuel, Chambre de Commerce.) There are already two small tuna fish canneries, but when the new fishing port facilities are completed, a large cannery will be built, hopefully with Ameri- can participation. The U.S. aid program has fur- nished the Ivory Coast Government with a fisheries training ship which will introduce Ivoirien fishermen to some American equipment. This exposure should be followed up with aggressive sales measures in order to introduce more American fishing gear to the Ivoirien fishing industry. When the cold storage plant and other features of the new fishing port are in full operation, additional opportunities will arise for the sale of American refrigerated trucks and related equipment to be used in distributing the increased catches to points inland. There is a well-established poultry grower's cooper- ative, Cooperative avicole de Cote-dTvoire COPRAVI, which has developed high quality poultry and egg production in the vicinity of Abidjan. These growers are interested in American poultrv-raising equipment and would undoubtedly buy more if American sup- pliers were better represented in the Ivory Coast. There are two plants in Abidjan for reconstituting milk and other dairy products out of powdered milk. They are potential purchasers of American powdered milk. Grain Milling An $8 million flour mill (Grand Moulins d'Abid.- jan) began production in March 1963. Until 1965, the Ivory Coast was committed under a commercial treaty to buy all of its wheat from France. This com- mitment has now been removed, and there appears to be no reason why the United States could not become a major supplier of wheat to Abidjan's flour mill. Since wheat cannot be grown in the Ivory Coast's tropical climate, this is a market that should con- tinue to increase with use of bakery products. There are two large commercial bakeries in Abid- jan and numerous small bakeries throughout the country. The capacity of the largest one (Panifica- tion Industrielle Christian) is 20,000 tons of bread per year. There are already several rice hulling mills in the northern part of the country and more are planned. Plans have also been made for a factory to convert cassava into starch. U.S. manufacturers of rice mill- ing and starch-making equipment could also supply machinery to the new factories. Fruit Processing Under the plan, the processing of agricultural prod- ucts is given high priority. Production of bananas is shown in table 27. The Standard Fruit Co. of New Orleans is already co- operating with COBAFRUIT, the banana growers' cooperative, in improving the packaging of fresh bananas for export. Plans have been made for the construction of a $2.6 million plant to process bananas and pack them in cardboard boxes. A small factory is experimenting with various methods of preserving bananas for both the domestic and export markets. After bananas, pineapples are the second most im- portant fruit. Recent production of pineapples is also shown in table 27. The pineapple '-anneries pres- ently produce more than 40,000 tons per year. The largest of them, SALCI (Ste alsacienne de la Cote-d' I voire), just expanded its capacity from 16,000 to 30.000 tons in 1964. Additional plantations and can- neries are envisioned in connection with the irriga- tion aspects of the proposed Bandama Dam. All existing and proposed canneries and plantations are potential customers not only for canning machin- ery but for the insecticides, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment and machinery that have been developed by the American pineapple industry in Hawaii. A small factory canning various fruit preserves and two other factories for extracting essential oils from fruits are also established. Coffee and Cocoa Coffee and cocoa have, for years, formed the back- bone of the Ivory Coast economy and the source of its prosperity. In 1962, when the coffee crop was disastrously small, repercussions were felt in every Agriculture and Mining Dense forests Cocoa IVORY COAST X Rubber * Cotton oo Citrus fruits f which will be devoted to palm oil. While much of the EDF activity is tied to procurement within the EEC, there are some exceptions to this policy. Furthermore, an injection of grant aid on this scale undoubtedly has its effect on the other parts of the economy and adds to overall wealth and purchasing power. In addition to its participation in the EDF, West Germany has its own program of aid to the Ivory Coast in the form of a $7.5 million loan, most of which is being used for the development of rice pro- duction. Israel also has a small aid program to the Ivory Coast devoted to technical assistance to the civic action program of the Armed Forces. ^j^iMJHL Urn ' ~j$i «<* '■■'■,.■ $** ■- ■-. •v* ■ ,' * ' **"* ^ CHAPTER i Basic Data on Ivory Coast The Ivory Coast is located in West Africa on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea between the parallels of 5° and 10° North latitude and extends from 2°30' to 8° West longitude. Practically square in shape and about the size of New Mexico, it covers an area of 127,520 square miles. The Ivory Coast is bounded on the west by Liberia and Guinea, on the north by Mali and Upper Volta, on the east by Ghana and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean, with 340 miles of coastline. Apart from the mountainous regions of Man and Odienne (in the west and northwest) where the peaks reach a height of 5,760 feet, the land is relatively flat, rising gradually from the sea to an altitude of about 1,000 feet in the north. Four major rivers flow from north to south: the Cavally, the Sassandra, the Bandama, and the Comoe. Along the eastern part of the coast, the sandy area is covered with plantations of coconut palms. Behind this area is a region of interconnected lagoons, which suddenly gives way to a thick tropical rain forest, extending northward for distances of 100 to 200 miles. In the western part of the country, the forest begins right at the coast. It is in these forest regions that the significant cash crops — coffee, cocoa, tropical woods, and bananas — are grown. North of the forest lies a wooded savannah zone, which be- comes less and less dense to the north, disappearing finally in the Sudanese zone, which consists of grassy savannah with lateritic or sandy soil and a sparse scattering of trees. The climate of most of the Ivory Coast is tropical, or hot and humid. Along the coast, variations in average monthly temperatures are slight (76° to 83 °F.), while the humidity is very high (77 to 88 percent) . Variations in temperature become more marked towards the north (57° to 103°), with humidity averaging about 71 percent. Along the coast the climate is characterized by two rainy seasons: one from the beginning of May until the middle of July; the other, far less intense, in October and November. Nearly half the annual precipitation (82 inches in Abidjan) is recorded in May and June, and as a result the weather for much of the year is mild and sunny. In the northern part of the country, there is only one rainy season, with annual rainfall averaging about 50 inches. An important natural resource is the forest. Wood production and exports are indicated in tables 35 and 3. If conservation measures are not undertaken in the near future, however, this resource (which now is the second largest source of export earnings) will, according to most estimates, be exhausted in 25 years. Current mineral production is limited to diamonds and manganese, but other mineral resources are being explored. Diamonds are found in the region of Seguela and Touba, in the West, with most gem stones coming from the former and industrial stones from the latter. Diamond exports were 209,565 carats in 1964 valued at $3.7 million and are expected to increase. Proven reserves of manganese at Mokta are only 600,000 tons of ore (46 percent Mn) and 150,000 tons of fines (38 percent Mn), but important addi- tional deposits of highgrade ore are known to exist near Odienne. 35 'VBougou 1 J o2^/^ ^y~ j ~^ v 1 M Ail \_^~^ 7( v., ( 7 C^ U P / vo PER \ / LT A \ V T / / >, / V ^-^— -\_ |Bo di 1 Firkessftojjgoj/f «lf - '~\ ^ i ? #' I") NOR^T^ KORHOjEoll v \ M v GUINEA %\ r / ■V A una / f \ \ rORTIYA .JT V^*N- X ( s f Beyla S vs( \ ) EA£t W _/~- ^Aj/' W \ i ^ \ \fe ( / Dabakala q I V-. \ \X, 1 "^: ' L \ J X ^J kKATIOLA » BONDOUKOH, ) \2^rV "N^/ //sEGUEU^-^^x ^ J~ J 8 /Tw J\ y^ AeouM^AlOUAKE A }' ^ ir \\h ne _^aman { ^> ou ^y^a; cenVer \'\ i s > 7 Oue\\e y -'J ': ^-> Kosstfu \ r v V^,\ \ ^^^ C MiD^vted/_^ vl^gy^^* /•Ayame' £ J[ i~ ^ : ISoubre 1 \jr ""Tji^r^^" ^|\ AGBOVILLFjX j H \ LIBER [a r \ \r> jjl (SOUTO ' r' V 7— u Ayarne^^ VabidjanIi / ,?AB0ISS0 1 X' ^^ X \^ y Mokta . \_^y/-~^7- ^y^f? ( /\ /^j" SANDRA __^ — ^^^^GmiDuim — '""GRAND BKSsm^~~~-~J±J^^ 3 52 l na j \\ ^ — ^San Pedro •^ } i / — / ^ rancl Bere ' b y ^->— -jL— ^fABOU GULF OF G U I N E A Boundaries are not necessarily those recognized by the U.S. Government. Administrative IVORY COAST ^-^— Departmental boundary Principal roads 1 I 1 Railroad it Departmental capital Selected seasonal roads "1" Principal airports 50 100 150 200 50 100 150 200 Kilometers y 'Wr. ■ DIAMOND MINE: The panning of diamonds adds to the national income in the Ivory Coast. All of the 210,000 carats produced in 1964 were exported. Active explorations for gold and bauxite were underway in 1965 and other minerals with promising prospects included columbo-tantalite, lithium, and ilmenite. The Republic of Ivory Coast, formerly a French colony, proclaimed its independence on August 7, 1960. The constitution provides for a strong Presi- dency within the framework of a separation of powers. The President is elected by direct, universal suffrage for a 5-year term and may be reelected. The Cabinet is appointed by the President from persons outside the National Assembly and is responsible to the President. The country is divided into six departments, ad- ministered by six prefects. These departments are, in turn, divided into 105 subprefectures. CHAPTER VI Channels of Distribution The principal channels of distribution in the Ivory Coast consist of the chief populated places, the rail- road, the highways, the seaports, the inland water- ways, and the air routes. PRINCIPAL CENTERS Abidjan became a deep-water ocean port in 1952 with the opening of the Vridi Canal ( 1.7 miles long, 1,200 feet wide, and 50 feet deep), which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the lagoon on which Abidjan is located. Abidjan is now the principal port and railhead not only for the Ivory Coast but for neighboring land-locked countries, such as Upper Volta, Mali, and Niger. With the establishment at Abidjan in 1965 of the seat of the African Development Bank and regional offices of the World Bank, Abidjan has also become a major African financial center. In addi- tion to its position as administrative capital, seaport, railhead, and financial center of the Ivory Coast, Abidjan, with a population estimated in 1965 at 300,- 000, is the major airport and the commercial and industrial capital of the Ivory Coast as well. Its port receives virtually all of the Ivory Coast's imports and Abidjan's importers and distributors, in turn, send the merchandise by truck, rail, or lagoon barge to other commercial centers throughout the Ivory Coast and its landlocked neighbors. Most of the industrial activ- ity of the country takes place in Abidjan, but the Government is trying hard to establish new industries in other parts of the country, in order to diminish the Capital's dominant position. Bouake, with a population estimated in 1965 at 100,000, is the second city of the Ivory Coast. It is located near the geographical center of the country at the crossroads of the main routes connecting with neighboring states and in the heart of the most heav- ily populated agricultural area. West Africa's largest cotton textile mill is located there, as are several other factories. Besides Abidjan and Bouake, which are the capitals of the Southern and Central departments, respectively, the other departmental capitals are Abengourou (East), Daloa (West Central), Korhogo (Northern), and Man (Western). Man has a population of 25,000 and Daloa and Korhogo have slightly over 20,000 inhabitants each while Abengourou has about 15,- 000. These cities, along with Gagnoa (18,000), Ad- zope (16,000), Agboville (16,000), and Grand Bas- sam (13,000) are of considerable commercial impor- tance both as markets within themselves and as central distribution points serving smaller towns and outlying rural areas. Most large firms, therefore, have outlets and/or servicing facilities located in several of these population centers. RAILROAD The Ivory Coast has 375 miles of railroad. Abidjan is connected with Ouagadougou, capital of Upper Volta, by a single-track railroad known as the Regie Abidjan-Niger (RAN), which is owned jointly by Ivory Coast and Upper Volta. Freight traffic in 1964 amounted to 710,012 tons and 334 million ton/kilo- meters while passenger traffic was 2.2 million passen- gers and 460 million passenger/kilometers. Both pas- senger and freight traffic have increased (see table 39). Various proposals have been made to build a spur railroad to Daloa and Man and to build a new rail- road from the proposed port at San Pedro to Odienne 39 ABIDJAN AIRPORT: ticket office. Pan An You buy your airplane ticket to Abidjan, the Ivory Coast, at the Pan American Airways jointly with Air Afrique operates a weekly service to Abidjan from New York. and, eventually, to Bamako in Mali. There are no immediate plans, however, to expand the rail network although the old rolling stock is being replaced and the roadbed is being maintained, repaired, and strengthened by the installation of new ballast, heavier rails, and several larger bridges. HIGHWAYS The road system of the Ivory Coast is a good one, with all major towns connected by all-weather roads. It covers 20,000 miles, of which 500 are paved, 7,800 hard surfaced (although there are washouts during heavy rains), and 11,700 are secondary roads suit- able for only limited use during the rainy season. Roads and streets in Abidjan are almost all paved and in good condition. While a four-lane bridge (completed in 1958) connecting the two main parts of Abidjan is now a bottleneck during peak traffic periods, a new six-lane bridge is being constructed nearby and will be ready late in 1967. Work is under- way to extend and improve the paved routes east from Abidjan through Grand Bassam and Bonoua (end of present paving) to Aboisso, west from Abidjan through Divo and Lakota (end of present paving) to Gagnoa and eventually to Daloa, and north from Abidjan through Yamoussoukro (end of present pav- ing) to Bouake. At the same time, the principal hard- surfaced arteries are constantly being improved by terracing and ditching as well as routine scraping. Secondary roads are also being improved. In 1964, there were about 51,000 motor vehicles in operation, of which some 28,000 were passenger cars and 23,000 were trucks and buses. In addition, more than 8,000 motorcycles were imported in the first 8 months of 1964. Table 31 shows the rapid increase that has taken place in motor vehicle registration. SEAPORTS Abidjan is the principal seaport of the Ivory Coast and accounts for over 95 percent of total tonnage handled in all of the country's ports. Sassandra, Tabou, and Grand Bereby are the others. Abidjan 8 6 4 >. ^VBougouni ^ 1 S J \ Y"~\ .«* Bobo DioulassoL/ ( > ^_/Y ^| KAT ' 0LA i' ^-^A BONDOUKcfo. 'i~S 8 1 y SEGUELA*^*- i -^x \ S 1 x -— '" [ / / c i li L ' daloaVT-^ Opt ^T\ / GAGNQA UAFW -'7 / " ~- -A \._C _S* j \*-^— pi L^Yalioussoukrd \ j / l->^ /^-va. ^k _S ^^Bongouanoij f rr (ABEDtfoUROU \ yTy I GHANA i i \Soubre J ^"^^""•y^ 'j -Jj_JU.r j \ y h\ LIBER I A W V; ^ in \ / ># ^ — '""'San Pedro / v ^. \ \ \jSimATjt Moktai-. X^^ r A~~^r~ —^l^SSS^ ^___^^^ S GRANrj-LAHOll GRAN ° SANDRA - " "« ""/ .Xboisso 1 BASSAM^~- — ^^=^SsS— ^ x 1 t^ ^ » ""TABOU Grand Bere'by GULF OF G U I N F A 8 6 4 Transportation IVORY COAST — — Departmental boundary Principal paved roads Secondary roads 1 I I Railroad it Departmental capital Other principal roads Selected seasonal roads ~t Principal airports 50 100 150 20C 50 100 150 200 Kilometers handled 3,387,701 tons in 1964, an increase of 17 percent over the 2,887,284 tons handled in 1963. Average annual growth rate since 1954 has been 15 percent (see table 40). The principal facilities of the port of Abidjan at the end of 1964 are: Open working apace Deepwater general cargo quay Lighterage quay (chalandage) Banana quay Wood manipulation area Dangerous materials area North quay (5 berths) Former wood pier West quay (6 berths) " Mineral quay (1 berth) Banana quay (1 berth) Fishing port quay Fishing port quay Lighterage quay (batelage) Lighterage quay (chalandage Wood quay-' 2543 492 2953 492 886 623 689 1247 492 33 33 33 33 23 23 16 8 8 2 1 Three additional deep-w were completed in 1965. general cargo berths (1066 fee = For logs that will not separate section of the po in the stream. float rt w Floatable logs are here they are loaded handled in aboard sh Area Warehouses (fully enclosed) ( quare feet) Adjacent to deep-water Passenger terminal Customs warehouse Others e cargo quays 600,600 32,300 19,400 239,500 Total 891,800 Hangars (roofed) For bananas For sawn lumber Adjacent to lighterage 64,400 8,600 24,800 At the end of 1964, there were 10 deepwater gen- eral cargo berths. As the result of a $20 million improvement and expansion program, there were 13 such berths by the end of 1965 and there will be 18 by 1970. With the completion of the oil refinery in the fall of 1965, the Ivory Coast Government hopes to en- courage ships carrying bananas and wood to start taking on substantial amounts of bunker fuel in Abidjan. The two U.S. flag lines serving Abidjan on regu- lar schedules are Farrell Lines and Delta Lines, the former from Atlantic and Great Lakes ports, the lat- ter from the Gulf of Mexico. Seventy-eight American ships called in 1964, compared to 66 in 1963. There are some 90 shipping companies with offices or agents in Abidjan, 8 of them American. STATION STOP: A small station on the Abidjan-Niger railroad in the Ivory Coast. &, fa % **-. P*i* RIVER N'ZI: Bridge on the River N'Zi between Tiassale and Yamoussoukro, the Ivory Coast. Sassandra and Tabou are minor ports, handling primarily the export of logs. They handled cargo weighing 192,000 and 11,000 tons, respectively, in 1964. Preliminary surveys have been completed and engi- neering studies are now being made for the proposed port of San Pedro (between Sassandra and Grand Bereby). San Pedro is expected to become the prin- cipal outlet for the southwest region. IISLA1SD WATERWAYS The Ivory Coast is fortunate in possessing a major inland waterway which consists of a chain of natural lagoons extending for more than 200 miles parallel to, and within 10 miles of, the coastline, from a point about 30 miles west of Grand Lahou eastward to the Ghana border. These lagoons are connected by man- made canals so that a considerable barge traffic origi- nates in manganese from the Mokta mines, pineapples from the cannery at Ono, and logs from various rivers. These commodities are assembled at Abidjan where they are loaded aboard oceangoing vessels. Dredging is constantly underway to maintain and expand this network of lagoons and canals. AIR TRANSPORT With headquarters in Abidjan, Air Afrique, owned jointly by 12 West African French-speaking states, serves the Ivory Coast and West Africa, flying four DC-8's and a number of DC-6's. In addition to flights between Europe and Africa and within Africa, Air Afrique in May 1965 inaugurated a weekly service from New York to Douala (Cameroon), and return via Dakar (Senegal), Robertsfield (Liberia), Abidjan, and Cotonou (Dahomey). This service is operated jointly with Pan American Airways. Other inter- national airlines which serve Abidjan include Air Guinee, Air Liban, Air Mali, Ethiopian Airlines, Ghana Airways, KLM, Nigerian Airways, Swissai: and UTA. The airport of Abidjan fully meets international jet standards. The Bouake airport can handle DC-6's There are 15 other airports and numerous landing strips. Recent air traffic through Abidjan and Bouake is shown in table 41. CHAPTER VII Trade Practices Importing and wholesaling are predominantly in the hands of large trading companies, most of which are European-owned, and small Lebanese merchants. Relatively few Ivoiriens are engaged in trade above the retail level. IMPORTING METHODS The marketing system in the Ivory Coast varies widely for different types of goods. Producer's goods and consumer goods which require technical servicing are handled almost exclusively by the large expatri- ate companies with sufficient trained staff and physi- cal facilities to provide installation and maintenance services throughout the country. High-priced, sophis- ticated consumer items are also marketed through the large, established retail outlets in principal cities. Most of these retail outlets are operated by expatriate firms. Consumer goods for the mass market, however, are distributed through a complex supply system which may involve expatriate or African firms as principal importers and a number of individual traders in intermediate roles between the original wholesale pur- chase and ultimate sale to the consumer. An effort was made in 1962 to overcome the inefficiencies of this system by the establishment of a cooperative pur- chasing and distributing company out of an associa- tion of some 600 African petty traders. Despite some limited financial support from the Government, however, this company failed before the end of 1964. Another effort was being made in 1965 to form a new company of this nature, to be composed of 30 merchants — five from each of the six prefectures. If successful, it could be an important channel for dis- tribution of consumer goods. For over 75 years, the leading position in the Ivory Coast's import trade has been held by three major trading companies — the United Africa Company, Compagnie Francaise de l'Afrique Occidentale — (CFAO), and Societe Commerciale de l'Ouest Afri- cain — (SCOA). These three companies still play a major role, but important changes are taking place in the structure of the Ivory Coast's distribution and marketing system and in the functions performed in the system by the major trading firms. On the one hand, an increasing number of small and medium- sized importing firms, a few of them of Ivoirien na- tionality, have entered the general merchandising field. On the other hand, the big three expatriate organizations — and a few others that had followed their lead in the 1920's — have begun to withdraw from some of their traditional activities — produce buying and retail and wholesale trade in consumer items for the mass market — and to redeploy their resources into more technical, capital-intensive, or specialized fields of commerce and industry. Trading companies sell: 1. Machinery and other types of goods which re- quire substantial investments in servicing facilities, technical staff, and spare parts inventory; and 2. High-priced, sophisticated consumer goods or specialized lines of merchandise which can be mar- keted through the chains of retail outlets operated by these companies. Several American companies have made profitable connections in the Ivory Coast with small or medium- sized firms which act principally as manufacturers' representatives. These firms — both expatriate and Ivoirien — often trade in a wide variety of capital and consumer goods, although they usually prefer lines 45 not requiring elaborate servicing or sales facilities. Some of them will carry stocks on their own account and act both as distributor and sales manager; most, however, act chiefly as commission agents. Many types of consumer goods and other items which do not require extensive technical or servicing facilities can be distributed effectively through the growing number of Ivoirien importer-distributors. These firms are expected to become increasingly im- portant in the general retail field as a result both of strong public pressure for Africanization and of the redeployment policies of the large expatriate firms. In selecting an agent, the exporter should consider carefully the advantages and disadvantages offered by each of the various classes of importers. Advantages of the major trading companies as business contacts include, generally, their coverage of the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries in terms of sales and serv- icing facilities ( many of them, in fact, operate throughout West Africa) ; the potential size of their orders; the availability, in a few cases, of buying agents in the United States; their unquestioned finan- cial reliability; and their long experience in foreign trade. At the same time, however, these companies may not be able to provide the kind of individual attention to sales promotion that the U.S. exporter needs. Some foreign firms have exclusive importer-dis- tributor agreements with the large trading houses but have set up their own sales and service staff, sometimes within the trading house structure. Thus, the foreign producer takes charge of sales promotion while the trading house imports and distributes the product. Manufacturers' agents are often particularly effec- tive in that they can offer representation which covers both the quality market — that is, the department stores and established retail outlets in urban areas — and the traditional markets of petty traders, bazaar stall hold- ers, and market women. Depending upon the individ- ual firm, of course, the agent may be well equipped to carry out intensive promotional work and to keep close watch on sales performance and market develop- ments. Advantages of dealing with Ivoirien traders include the close touch which they maintain with consumer tastes; their personal contacts with subdistributors and their knowledge of business techniques in the Ivory Coast; their ability to merchandise a line in small quantities until it gains acceptance; their abil- ity to promote individual lines intensively; and the longrun advantages of doing business with nationals of the Ivory Coast rather than with resident foreigners. Establishing reliable trade contacts and an effective system of distribution can be the most difficult single problem facing a prospective U.S. exporter, and the businessman planning to enter this market should be 46 prepared to adopt a realistic approach. Capable and well-established importers in the Ivory Coast can af- ford to be choosy in accepting new agencies or han- dling new products. Most newly introduced Ameri- can products will be competing with similar products from manufacturers in France and other members of the EEC who already have working arrangements with major importers. Since the largest firms already handle wide selections in most lines of imports, the American exporter may be obliged to deal with a smaller or less experienced representative than he might otherwise prefer. The situation in this regard, of course, will vary with the individual product involved. Managers of even the largest retail chains express an interest in being contacted by exporters or manufacturers with new or competitive product lines; these firms are in business, and as with firms anywhere else in the world, they are more than happy to take on new lines which offer prospects of higher turnover or wider profit margins. Further, small and medium-sized importers some- times offer advantages which offset what they may lack in size. Several American firms, for example, have established very successful contacts lately with such importers who are actively seeking lines to put on the market in direct competition with established brands of merchandise for which the large European trading houses hold exclusive agencies. Purchasing decisions in the major expatriate firms are generally made at the overseas headquarters of these companies — for the most part in Paris. A few of them, however, which are listed below, have buying offices in the United States : Jean Abile-Gal, A. Framer, Inc., 76 Beaver Street, New York, N.Y., 10008. Campagnie Franchise de l'Afrique Occidentale — CFAO, 17 Battery Place, New York, N.Y., 10004. Compagnie Franchise de la Cote d'lvoire— CFCI, Balfour, Guthrie & Co., 351 California Street, San Francisco, California, 94104. Davum, Western Service Corporation, 601 East Avenue, Linden, New Jersey. Societe Commerciale de l'Quest Africain — SCOA, North American Tadimpex Corp., 170 Broadway, New York, N.Y., 10038. Representatives of U.S. firms wishing to deal with any of the large importers other than the five listed above should, therefore, plan to visit their head offices. At the same time, however, contact in person with local managers in the Ivory Coast can be very useful; judgments of the local managers as to the market- ability of various products are ordinarily accepted at the home offices of these firms. It is not uncommon for agents to provide shipments on a consignment basis from local stocks so that the local manager is able to test consumer acceptance of a new line. Ivory Coast industrial firms frequently prefer to import raw materials themselves and to effect econo- mies by eliminating the local agent or distributor. Since the Ivory Coast economy is growing rapidly and since priority industries are entitled to substan- tial exemptions from customs duties and taxes, in- quiries from local industrial firms should not be ignored. The first small order may lead to many larger ones. But if an American manufacturer or exporter of producer goods really wants to penetrate this market effectively, he should consider the establishment of his own sales outlets in the Ivory Coast. A variant of this approach would be for a group of American manufacturers of noncompeting products to set up a local distributing company in the country. In the light of the experience of the large trading companies which are withdrawing from the retailing field, such sales outlets should presumably be devoted to technical sales and servicing, i.e., importing pro- ducer's goods and operating a chain of sales and serv- icing facilities. This type of operation usually re- quires a fairly large investment in technical equip- ment or inventories, but such an investment should soon be recouped by the vastly increased sales which the outlet ought to generate. Instead of a European- owned and -managed organization whose major efforts are devoted to sales of European goods, many of which compete directly with the American product in ques- tion, this would be an American outlet devoted en- tirely to the sale of American goods. A forward-looking American company or group, aware of current political realities, ought either to find an Ivoirien qualified to manage such an outlet or have it managed by an American with several Ivoiriens of whom one could eventually become the manager. Indispensable to the success of such a pro- gram would be the training of Africans — formal or informal — to take on greater responsibilities in the organization. Another possibility would be large-scale general merchandising, but any such undertaking would, of course, require very careful market research and financial analysis far beyond the scope of the present market survey. QUOTATIONS AND TERMS Sales quotations should be given c.i.f. Abidjan with these details: f.o.b. port of shipment (including any inland freight) and actual charges for ocean freight, insurance, and handling. All of these details are essential to the Ivory Coast importer who must sub- mit a proforma invoice with his application for an im- port license. Quotations f.o.b. factory that do not also show inland freight and handling charges in the DOWNTOWN ABIDJAN: Here in the Capital City of the Republic of the Ivory Coast < services for a regional market of more than 15 million persons. ? supplied goods and S, ,'llllll"£ Irfri * ' CfcMiH gEa»^bgMs« LOGS FOR LUMBER MILLS: An oceangoing ship loads logs in the harbor at Abidjan, the Ivory Coast, foi shipment to mills worldwide. United States are completely useless to the importer and will either be disregarded by him or cause him additional unnecessary correspondence with the Amer- ican supplier. Quotations should be given in dollars, using the metric system of weights and measures. Many potential sales are lost by American suppliers because of their failure to compete on credit terms. Goods, whether for consumers or producers, that are available from stock and require no special modifica- tion for the individual customer are most frequently paid for by sight drafts that are due upon receipt of documents by the importer at Abidjan. The second most common method of payment is 30-, 60-, or 90- day notes on open account. Least common is the ir- revocable letter of credit opened at the time the order is placed with the foreign supplier. Only industrial and capital goods that are not considered stock items are normally paid for by irrevocable credits opened at the time the order is placed. Knowledge of the market and of the customer must, of course, determine the degree of use of sight drafts, time drafts, payment against documents, and open accounts. In view of the substantial competition, however, terms offered by American suppliers may, in many cases, need to be relaxed. Suppliers can protect themselves against political and commercial risks by insuring their export sales through the Foreign Credit Insurance Association — FCIA, 110 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10004. 48 They may also obtain U.S. Department of Commerce World Trade Directory Reports and use other market- ing aids described in chapter IX. CREDIT FACILITIES Use of credit varies greatly in all sectors of com- merce in the Ivory Coast. In the intricate distribution system through which basic consumer items ultimately reach the mass market, short term credit is commonly extended at all levels — that is, between various semi- wholesalers and traders and between traders and their final customers. Virtually none of the credit extended in this manner flows through formal financial chan- nels — it is casually arranged and based on personal acquaintance of the parties involved. Many large importing firms and local manufac- turers extend credit for short periods to their well- known customers, but such transactions are carefully monitored and usually are made only with well- established retailers or semiwholesalers. For the most part, the principal importers and manufactuers deal on a cash basis. Thus, commercial credit arrange- ments depend on the type of commodity involved, the size of the businesses which are parties to the trans- action, and the closeness of relations between parties. The banking system of the Ivory Coast is tied to the Banque Centrale des Etats de 1'Afrique de 1'Ouest — BCEAO — which is the central bank of issue of the Communaute Financiere Africaine — CFA — Franc. The CFA franc circulates not only in the Ivory Coast, but also in Dahomey, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Upper Volta. The Ministers of Finance of the seven countries sit as members of the board of direc- tors of the BCEAO, which has its headquarters in Paris, France. The BCEAO branch at Abidjan re- discounts loans of the Ivory Coast commercial and other banks described below. Consumer credit is limited almost exclusively to installment sales of motor vehicles, household appli- ances, and furnishings. Ordinary terms for motor- cycles, automobiles, and small trucks, for example, are from % to ^2 down with 12 months to pay; interest charges normally run between 15 and 20 per- cent per year on these loans. Special terms for auto- mobile purchases are available, however, to Govern- ment officials whose duties require them to have a personal vehicle. The most readily available source of credit infor- mation on firms in the Ivory Coast is the exporter's local bank. Most American banks doing international business have correspondents among the commercial banks operating in the Ivory Coast and can obtain information for their customers about Ivory Coast firms through these correspondents. Businessmen would be well advised, however, to supplement these reports with others, such as the World Trade Direc- tory Reports of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Between 1962 and 1965, several leading American banks have recognized the growing importance of the Ivory Coast market and have obtained equity par- ticipation in the four commercial banks as well as the new development bank. Four commercial banks do business in the Ivory Coast and offer a normal range of local and inter- national banking services. All are located in Abidjan, but also operate branches in other cities. They are: Banque Internationale de 1'Afrique Occidentale (International Bank of West Africa), P.O. Box 1274, Abidjan. Branches in Bouake and Cocody (a suburb of Abidjan). Affiliated with First National City Bank of New York. Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et lTndus- trie (International Bank of Commerce and Industry), P.O. Box 1298, Abidjan. Branches in Abengpurou, Agboville, Bouake, and Treichville (a suburb of Abidjan). Affiliated with Bank of America. Societe Generate de Banques en Cote d'lvoire, P.O. Box 1355, Abidjan. Branches in Bongouanou, Daloa, Dimbokro, Gagnoa, and Treichville. Affiiliated with Bankers Trust Co. of New York. Societe Ivoirienne de Banque, P.O. Box 1300, Abid- jan. Branches in Bouake, Divo, Korhogo, Man, Sas- sandra and Yamoussoukro. Affiliated with Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York. AYAME I: One of two hydroelectric plants or Ayame II supply electric power to Abidjan. the Bia River near Ayame, the Ivory Coast. Both Ayame I and In addition to the four commercial banks, other local sources of credit include the Banque Ivoirienne de Developpement Industrielle (Ivory Coast Indus- trial Development Bank)— BIDI, the Caisse Na- tionale de Credit Agricole (National Agricultural Credit Bank) and the Credit de la Cote d'lvoire. The total capitalization of BIDI is $12.8 million. Of this amount, $5 million is in the form of an AID loan, tied to 90 percent procurement in the United States, and $5 million is an interest-free loan from the Ivory Coast Government. The remaining $2.8 million is in the form of equity participation by the American cosponsors — Chase International Invest- ment Corporation and Lazard Freres — and by the In- ternational Finance Corporation, the Development and Resources Corporation, and eight European banks. The goal of the bank is to promote the growth of medium- and large-sized new industrial enterprises in the Ivory Coast. The National Agricultural Credit Bank, as its name implies, devotes itself to agricultural credit. In 1964, total loans were about $3.3 million, of which 80 per- cent were short-term (1 month to 2 years) and the rest medium-term (2 to 10 years). It has 10 branches in the interior of the country. Equity capital is $1 million, owned entirely by the Ivory Coast Govern- ment. The Credit de la Cote d'lvoire has a capitalization of $2.4 million, of which % is held by the Ivory Coast Government and % by the Caisse Centrale de Cooperation Economique, a semiautonomous French corporation. About 50 percent of its loans are made to homebuilders, 20 percent to small and medium- sized enterprises, 20 percent to municipalities, and 10 percent to individual purchasers of automobiles, furniture, etc. LANGUAGE The official language of the Ivory Coast is French, which is also the sole language of foreign trade. In certain areas of the country, the language of the open-air marketplaces is Dioula or Baoule, but French is understood virtually everywhere. English, whether written or spoken, is not used in Government or private circles. Knowledge of English in the Ivory Coast is far less common than in French- speaking areas of Europe. The American business- man who does not possess some knowledge of French may find himself seriously handicapped in the Ivory Coast. Though interpreters and translators can be found, competent ones are rare and expensive. Business correspondence, documentation, and liter- ature, even from non-French-speaking countries, are almost always prepared in French. Even in those rare instances where a factory manager has an adequate knowledge of English, correspondence and documen- tation in English present severe handicaps to a non- 50 A SONG IN HIS HEART: Musician from the North- west, dressed in traditional costume, accompanies himself in a song that he knows by heart. English-speaking organization. When an American bid in English is not particularly advantageous com- pared to those of other foreign suppliers, the local purchaser may well give preference to the foreign bid written in French. Those tender bids presented in English, whether Government or private, may not re- ceive full consideration. PACKING The crates of goods for the Ivory Coast and neigh- boring countries must be made of rugged materials; cardboard boxes alone usually are not sufficient, and goods so packed are very likely to reach their ultimate destination in damaged condition. Goods will be handled at several points in transit, and will be ex- posed to severe climatic conditions during transpor- tation to inland points. Crates should be clearly marked and, where possible, of a size to facilitate loading and unloading by hand. Packing should also be such as to minimize risk of pilferage. Items sub- ject to damage from humidity or moisture should be packed in sealed containers or waterproof materials, and perishable goods must be in airtight containers. Faulty packing is one of the more frequently heard complaints against U.S. products not only in the Ivory Coast but throughout West Africa. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT The Government's role in the economy as a major purchaser is becoming increasingly important. Its combined operating and investment budget has in- creased from $134 million in 1961 to $181 million in 1965. The Ivory Coast Government has thus be- come a significant purchaser of sophisticated capital equipment and should not be ignored by American suppliers. The Ivory Coast has one central procurement agency with strictly limited functions, which is the Bureau des Marches of the Direction des Budgets et Comptes of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Af- fairs and Planning. Several important Government agencies and bureaus, however, make their purchases independently of the Bureau des Marches, and they publish invitations to bid on goods and services. The more important invitations are published in the daily bulletin (Bulletin Quotidien) of the Chamber of Com- merce. They are also published in the Journal Officiel, but usually too late to allow prospective bidders to act. As a result of training and experience, the Ivory Coast Government frequently bases its bid specifica- tions on those in use in France. In drawing up bid specifications and subsequent bid considerations, the Government relies heavily on French technical ad- visers and consultants. American firms seriously interested in supplying equipment, materials, or services to the Ivory Coast Government or to semipublic corporations will re- quire effective representation in the Ivory Coast either through an aggressive local agent or through the company's own representation. Price is not the sole factor considered by Government agencies in the award of contracts; personal contacts can be inval- uable in ensuring that full information reaches re- sponsible parties on a product's quality, reliability, and servicing and maintenance features. Recognizing, however, that some American firms do not have adequate representation in Abidjan, the Commercial Attache of the American Embassy there watches closely all announcements of invitations to bid. When they are of sufficient size to justify atten- tion and when enough time is allowed for American suppliers to prepare bids, the invitations are reported promptly to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which publicizes them in the U.S. through trade associa- tions, and other marketing aids described in chapter IX. CHAPTER VIII Import Regulations TRADE POLICY The Ivory Coast still trades primarily with France but has shown increasing signs of reorientation away from dependence on France. The Ivory Coast Gov- ernment has recently indicated a sincere desire to increase its imports from the United States where a large portion of its coffee and cocoa are exported. A commercial agreement with France, which ex- pires on December 31, 1966, provides the Ivory Coast with certain forms of French economic assistance (e.g., marketing advantages for tropical products, sal- ary payments to French-aid personnel, etc.). In re- turn, the Ivory Coast agrees to purchase certain commodities from France and the franc zone, either exclusively or in specified percentages. The Ivory Coast also agrees to maintain a system of preferential tariffs which favors goods imported from France and the franc zone. These tariffs have been modified by the application of the Yaounde Convention between the EEC and the Associated Overseas Countries — AOC's. With the entry into force of the Yaounde Convention on June 1, 1964, the AOC's were committed to cease within 6 months all discrimination in favor of France and the franc zone vis-a-vis other members of the EEC. Accordingly, effective December 1, 1964, the Ivory Coast began to apply the same tariff preferences to the other members of EEC (i.e., Benelux, Germany, and Italy) which it had previously applied to France and the franc zone. The Ivory Coast is also one of the seven members of the West African Customs Union — WACU, the others being Dahomey, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta. In order to implement these agreements, the Ivory Coast has established a system of import licensing, import quotas, and exchange controls. That system favors imports from the EEC and consequently cre- ates obstacles to imports from the United States. However, the recent rapid growth of Ivory Coast dollar earnings and liberalization of import quotas which apply to the United States have considerably brightened the future for American sales in this mar- ket. Furthermore, prior to early 1965, there were serious procedural obstacles to the importation of capital goods from the United States if similar goods were available in France. The recent removal of these obstacles by the Ivory Coast Government is another favorable sign for U.S. exporters. IMPORT TARIFFS AND TAXES Most items listed in the Ivory Coast customs tariff are subject to duty. Dutiable goods are assessed with a customs duty, which for most goods ranges from 5 to 25 percent ad valorem, and a fiscal duty, which averages between 10 and 15 percent ad valorem. All ad valorem duties are assessed on a c.i.f. basis. Typical import duty rates on a few categories of goods which are, or could be, important in U.S. trade with the Ivory Coast are, in percent: Customs, duty Fiscal duty Road building and heavy construction equipment 5 to 15 Free Agricultural machinery Free Free Forestry machinery 5 Free to 5 Refrigeration and air conditioning equipment 5 Free to 10 Electrical and electronic equipment.. 5 to 15 1 Free to 20 Chemicals Free to 20 2 Free to 80 3 Insecticides "■ Free to 5 Wheat 2 0.5 1 Most items 7%. Commodities imported from the EEC nations and their AOC's are exempted from payment of the cus- PRESIDENTIAL PALACE: Executive headquarters , Washington, D.C. toms duty while shipments from all other countries (including the United States) are liable for this duty. The fiscal duty is applied equally to shipments from all countries. Additional import taxes are applied equally to ship- ments of any national origin. All imports, except capital goods, pay a special import duty (tax) equal to 10 percent of the c.i.f. value of the goods. Fur- thermore, shipments are subject to a tax on value added, equal to 11 percent of the combined total of the c.i.f. value plus all duties and taxes paid. For certain products this tax may be as high as 23 per- cent or as low as 5 percent. The tax on value added is not levied on petroleum products, alcoholic bever- ages, tobacco, or cartridges, which are subject to other taxes. A complete listing of the import duties and surtaxes described above is contained in the pub- 54 the Ivory Coast, comparable with the White House, lication entitled Tableau des Droits d'Entree et de Sortie de la Republique de Cote d'lvoire, which is published by the Societe Africaine d'Editions et de Publicity P.O. Box 2626, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. All import duties and customs charges are payable in CFA (African Financial Community francs), and conversion is made at the official rate of exchange. Officially, 246.8 CFA francs equal US$1. OTHER TRADE REGULATIONS The necessary documents for surface or air ship- ments to the Ivory Coast include the commercial invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and a packing list. If the certificate of origin is not avail- able, then a consular invoice must be obtained to establish the country of origin. No special form of commercial invoice is needed nor are there any special regulations concerning the preparation of the bill of lading. Certificates of origin are generally required for goods not originat- ing in France. Packing lists are considered essential for expediting goods through customs. Sanitary certificates or special authorization from the appropriate Ivory Coast Government agency are required for the importation of certain plants and animals, arms, munitions, and military uniforms and decorations. Shipments should be labeled with the name of the country of origin and all cigarettes must be labeled in French with the name of the country in which they will be sold. In general, all imports from countries other than France and the franc zone are subject to import au- thorization consisting of either import licenses for goods subject to quotas, or import certificates for goods not subject to quota. Nonquota goods consist of certain raw materials and semifinished goods which have previously not been important in trade between the United States and the Ivory Coast. Spare parts for machines are also free of quotas. Imports from France and the franc zone must be documented by import declarations; but there are no restrictions on such imports and the declarations are used solely for statistical purposes. Import licenses are issued only to licensed traders and then only for specified types of goods. They are valid for 6 months with extensions granted twice for 3 months each for consumer goods and 3 times for 6 months each for capital goods. The Ivory Coast formulates an annual import pro- gram which establishes quotas for shipments from outside of France and the franc zone. There is a Common Market quota, a global quota (includes United States), a quota for bilateral commercial agreements, and a Soviet-bloc quota. These quotas specify the total foreign exchange available for pur- chases from each group of countries; within each quota, the exchange is allocated by groups of com- modities. Application for import quotas for consumer goods must be made semiannually. Importers receive allocations based largely on past turnover although newly-established importers receive a basic allotment. The importation of certain items, such as distilling equipment, live animals, arms and ammunition, rough diamonds, obscene literature or films, saccharin, nar- cotics, explosives, and living plants or seeds, is pro- hibited or restricted. Importation of nonprohibited items can only be made under the authority of the appropriate local government agency. Foreign exchange in the Ivory Coast is controlled by the Office of Exchange Operations under the External Finance and Foreign Exchange Service. This office is primarily concerned with all commercial and financial transactions with countries other than France or the franc zone. Exchange is made available through authorized banks for imported goods covered by an import license or import certificate. More detailed information concerning the Ivory Coast's import regulations is contained in the Over- seas Business Report (OBR) 64-60, "Foreign Trade Regulations of the West African Customs Union ( Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Upper Volta) and Togo," of June 1964. This OBR is available for 15 cents per copy from any Department of Commerce Field Office or from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Print- ing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. «f* i i r ;-:V. ; ;-" ' [p^f^ t li, CHAPTER IX Marketing Aids U.S. GOVERNMENT American businessmen doing business abroad often profit from the advice and guidance of governmental agencies. Information on commercial conditions in the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries may be obtained from the Africa Division, Office of International Regional Economics, Bureau of International Com- merce, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., 20230, or from any of the Department's Field Offices, which are located in principal cities of the United States. (See list of field offices in appendix C.) Available data include reports on economic condi- tions, trade, laws relating to doing business, import and exchange controls, ports and tariffs. Much of this information has already been published for use by exporters. ( See list of recent publications on the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries in appendix D.) The Department of Commerce also publishes a weekly magazine entitled International Commerce which contains not only articles describing general economic conditions throughout the world, but also specific trade leads and investment opportunities. Subscriptions to this magazine may be obtained from the Department of Commerce for $16 per year. Information on specific commodities or industries is available from the Business and Defense Services Administration — BDSA, U.S. Department of Com- merce, which collects, analyzes, and publishes infor- mation on the worldwide commercial activity of 20 general industry categories. A complete list of BDSA publications may be secured from any Field Office or the U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., 20230. Information on agricultural commodities, livestock, and agricultural development programs is available from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250. In planning trips to the Ivory Coast and neighbor- ing countries, American businessmen are advised to make advance arrangements by visiting or writing the Commercial Intelligence Division of the U.S. De- partment of Commerce, Washington, D.C., 20230. If that Division is supplied with facts on the itinerary and purposes of the trip, the American Embassy in Abidjan can be alerted to provide appropriate assist- ance, upon the businessman's arrival in Abidjan. Even when the Embassy has been notified of the trip by the Department of Commerce, a letter to the Em- bassy giving latest schedule changes is desirable. Upon reaching the Ivory Coast, American businessmen are encouraged to call on the commercial officer at the Embassy and to avail themselves there of all the facilities. In connection with business trips to Africa, see also appendix E, Notes for Business Travelers. The commercial officer reports on the business standing, reputation, ability, and activity of leading Ivory Coast firms. His reports may be obtained from the U.S. Department of Commerce or the Field Offices for a nominal fee. A detailed description of these reports, which are called World Trade Directory Re- ports, or WTDR's, is available on request. A Trade List of Ivory Coast business firms con- tains lists of importers and dealers, exporters, indus- trial firms, trade associations, and trade publications. The list of importers and dealers indicates the rela- tive size of each firm, method of operation, products handled, and territory covered. The list of manufac- turers indicates the products handled and the pro- 57 duction capacity of each firm. Trade lists are also available from the U.S. Department of Commerce or the Field Offices for a nominal fee. Trade Contact Surveys provide a specialized, on- the-scene investigation designed to find in a particu- lar country several foreign firms that meet the U.S. businessman's individual requirements and that ex- press an interest in the representation he offers. These surveys, which cost $50 each, are conducted by For- eign Service Officers abroad on behalf of any quali- fied U.S. firm. Further information and necessary application forms are available from any Field Of- fice or from the Commercial Intelligence Division. Many exporters may find the export guarantees and export credit insurance offered through the facilities of the Export-Import Bank of Washington — Exim- bank, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C., 20005, to be worthwhile in financing foreign sales. Information on the Eximbank's programs is available through local commerical banks or from the Exim- bank. To supplement its own dollar loans, the bank makes financial assistance from private sources more readily available to the American exporter. The bank under- writes foreign credit insurance, issues guarantees to commercial banks, and considers direct guarantees and financing for exporters when either insurance or commercial bank assistance cannot be obtained. In providing these facilities, the bank takes into consid- eration : The ability of the importer to make payment. The appropriateness of the credit terms involved. The ability of the importer's country to service dol- lar debts. The Eximbank also maintains programs to provide export consignment insurance. United States exporters can now get faster, better, and more flexible credit insurance service. Five pro- grams are available to facilitate credit extension on favorable commercial terms to overseas customers. Four of the programs provide insurance policies is- sued by the Foreign Credit Insurance Association — FCIA and underwritten by that association and the Eximbank. FCIA is an association of over 70 private insurance companies. The fifth program, designed so that exporters may seek nonrecourse financing from their banks, consists of guarantees by the Eximbank to commercial banks or other financial institutions. Most of the FCIA's policies have been for short- term transactions, that is, up to 180 days. Exporters who supply consumer goods abroad find that this coverage enables them to sell on 90-, 120-, or 180- days. The comprehensive short-term policy insures up to 85 percent of the political risks. It is also pos- sible to insure against political risks alone. Insurance for medium-term transactions is also avail- able in both comprehensive and political-risk-only 58 policies. Terms vary from 181 days to 5 years. Much of this type of insurance relates to sales of capital goods and equipment. BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS Many service organizations, such as banks, insur- ance brokers, transportation companies, freight for- warders, advertising agencies, and market research organizations, offer specialized services for the ex- porter. In addition, the following associations are concerned with the promotion of U.S. foreign trade and may be able to furnish useful services: the Na- tional Foreign Trade Council, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y., 10020; the Foreign Commerce Department of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, 1615 H Street, NW., Washington, D.C., 20005; and the African-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 99 Church Street, New York, N.Y., 10007. FOREIGN SOURCES Several business directories covering the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries contain classified or alphabetical lists of firms or other relevant informa- tion for businessmen. All of those listed below, except the West African Directory, are written in the French language. Annuaire National de la Republique de Cote d'lvoire. Annual. An essential tool. Contains general political and economic information, including listings of Gov- ernment officials with their titles, addresses, and telephone numbers as well as classified business direc- tory information. 275 pages. 600 fr CFA. Annuaire National de la Republique de Cote d'lvoire. B.P. 1265. Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Guide d'Escale en Abidjan. 1965. Contains a highly detailed classified directory of Abidjan. 143 pages. 500 fr CFA. Societe Africaine d'Editions et de Publicity B.P. 2626, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Guid' Ouest Africain. Annual. Includes particularly detailed information on prefectures, subprefectures, and small towns throughout French-speaking West Africa as well as business directory information. 464 pages. 650 fr CFA. Diloutremer, 9 Rue Louis-le- Grand, Paris, France. L'Usine Moderne au Service de VAfrique Noire. 1964. Consists of cross-referenced listings of local agents in Africa of manufacturers throughout the world. 442 pages. 675 fr CFA. L'Usine Moderne, 127, Champs Elysees, Paris 8e, France. Societes et Fournisseurs d'Afrique Noire et de Madagascar. Annual. Along with brief general po- litical and economic information, contains the most complete listing of companies operating in French- speaking Africa and the most detailed information on each company of any directories listed here. 1,057 pages. 3,600 fr CFA. La Documentation Africaine, 57 Avenue d'lena, Paris 16e, France. West African Directory 1964-65. Includes commer- cial, financial, economic, and political information and classified business directories for all West Afri- can countries. 634 pages. £ 2. 2.0. Thomas Skinner & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., St. Alphage House, Fore Street, London, E. C. 2. TRADE ASSOCIATIONS The chambers of commerce, of industry, and of agriculture are elective, quasi-governmental organiza- tions, which act as the official liaison between the Government and private enterprise. Members of these organizations include almost all established commer- cial and industrial firms and large plantations in the Ivory Coast. The chambers perform all functions normally associated with such organizations, acting as representatives of the business community, fur- thering common interests of the members, and hold- ing meetings to discuss proposed legislative changes which would affect their interests and other pertinent matters. The Chamber of Commerce of the Ivory Coast at Abidjan publishes a monthly bulletin, over 100 pages in length, which gives thorough coverage of develop- ments affecting the economy of the country and also lists trade inquiries received from abroad. The latter is a useful service through which an American firm may be able to establish business contacts in the country. The Chamber of Commerce also issues a daily bulletin which publicizes, among other things, invitations to bid on Government contracts. The Chamber of Industry of the Ivory Coast at Abidjan also issues a monthly bulletin — about 50 ?ages long — which contains much useful information. The chambers of commerce and of industry are able to assist visiting businessmen in making local con- tacts, in obtaining general economic or commercial information, or in establishing an operation. ^ Trade associations in the Ivory Coast may also be useful points of contact. Practically all business firms, large and small, belong to an association. The names and addresses of the leading associations are included ABIDJAN ABUNDANCE: The Hotel Relais de Cocody, in the Capital City of the Ivory Coast. If.' in the Trade List of Ivory Coast Business Firms as well as the Annuaire National. OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION The Government of the Ivory Coast is represented in the United States by the Embassy of the Ivory Coast at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Wash- ington, D.C., 20008 (Telephone HO-3-2400) ; by the Ivory Coast consulate, Suite 808, 521 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10017 (MU-7-6327) ; and by the Ivory Coast Stabilization Fund at 120 Wall Street, New York, NY., 10005 (Telephone HA-5-2277). The fund office is concerned primarily with the sale of coffee, cocoa, and other Ivory Coast exports while the Embassy is prepared to answer inquiries on in- vestment and other economic subjects. The United States maintains an Embassy at the corner of Avenue Crosson-Duplessis and Avenue General de Gaulle in Abidjan (telephone 26031). The Embassy publishes a periodic commercial news- letter in French, which is sent to some 250 leading business firms throughout the country. Announce- ments on behalf of American firms seeking sales or representation in the Ivory Coast are included in the newsletter when the products or services have, in the opinion of the Embassy, a potential market in the Ivory Coast. The Commercial Attache maintains a commercial reading room, which is frequently con- sulted by local businessmen. American manufacturers and exporters are urged to send catalogs and other sales literature for this reading room. Business visi- tors are invited to call on the Commercial Attache at the Embassy; he is intimately familiar with commer- cial and industrial developments in the country and is often able to provide valuable information or to assist the traveler in making business contacts. ADVERTISING Advertising is particularly effective in the Ivory Coast and neighboring countries, because of the im- pressionable nature of many of the residents, espe- cially the lower income groups who have been newly exposed to the conveniences and symbols of modern living and who are just beginning to acquire the means to possess them. Thus, as incomes grow, adver- tising crystallizes latent demands into actual consumer purchases. In view of the essentially conservative buying habits of most of the consumers, manufacturers have found advertising to be not only effective but neces- sary in securing widespread acceptance of new prod- ucts on the market. At the same time, with increasing competition, even those producers with old established lines have increased their advertising, both in scope and intensity, to keep their products in the mind of the buying public and to maintain sales. As a rule, uncomplicated and straightforward pres- entation has proved most effective. With the low rate of literacy in the country, advertisers invariably use clear, uncluttered illustrations and simple mes- sages aimed at establishing direct product recogni- tion. Most advertising for consumer goods appeals directly and openly to the consumers' aspiration for financial success, physical prowess, and especially, popularity; subtlety in presentation is not generally profitable. Factors influencing the Ivoirien's decision to buy are not always identical with those of his American or European counterpart, and unless the characteris- tics of the buyer in the Ivory Coast are taken fully into account, an advertising campaign might misfire completely. Small points in wording of advertising copy, for example, can have an important bearing on the effectiveness of a sales promotion program; al- though French is the official language, levels of com- prehension vary widely, and local usage sometimes differs from that in France and even more from that in French-speaking Canada, where some American French-language copy originates. Advertising in almost any medium is available in the Ivory Coast — in newspapers and magazines, on billboards and neon signs, by slides and short films in local movies, over the radio and television net- works, via local exhibitions and displays, and through direct mail. Among the more potent media are radio and television, movies, and newspapers. Radio advertising will reach an estimated 1 million listeners a day, based on an average of 6 listeners per set and 175,000 sets. The Government-controlled radio network operates two different programs throughout most of the day and evening: one entirely in the French language, the other partly in French and partly in five different vernacular languages. At the end of 1964, with only one 10 kw. trans- mitter in operation, television programs were limited to 2 1 / 4 hours every evening, but increased program- ing was planned for the near future. While the num- ber of television sets was not large (about 1,500), the average number of viewers per set was at least 50, since many receivers were located in community viewing centers, where daily attendance varied from 200 to 300 persons. This would indicate about 75,- 000 viewers per day. Early in 1965, two 10 kw. re- lay transmitters (each with an effective radius of over 125 miles) were installed at Bouafle and Man and a third relay transmitter was installed at Bondou- kou late in 1965. When all four transmitters are in operation, virtual nationwide television coverage will be assured and advertising effectiveness of the medium enhanced. Movie advertising is extremely effective for prod- ucts which lend themselves to mass appeal and im- pulse buying — cigarettes, beverages, cosmetics — just 60 ■Ill* LUXURY HOTEL: Hotel accommodations in Abidjan include two luxury hotels, such as the Hotel Ivoire seen here, as well as several first-class ones. Most hotel rooms are air conditioned. as TV advertising does in the United States. In Ivory Coast movie theaters — there were 16 in Abidjan and more than 40 up country in 1965 — the feature film is always preceded by about 10 to 15 minutes of still or animated commercials. An advantage of theater ad- vertising is that it reaches a population above the sub- sistence level and with some disposable income; ad- mission prices ordinarily run from the equivalent of 20tf to $1. Only two newspapers are published in the Ivory Coast — one daily, Fraternite-Matin (circulation — 10,000), and one weekly, Fraternite (circulation — 18,- 000) . While these circulation figures are fairly low, readership per copy is very high, as it is common for the paper to be read aloud — every word of it, including advertisements — in many villages and mar- ketplaces. Both local newspapers are in the French language and advertising rates are quite low. A num- ber of daily newspapers from France are also cir- culated. Several popular magazines enjoy wide circulation. As with newspapers, multiple readership is very high; estimated life of many magazines is 4 months and readership per copy is placed by some as high as 15 and 20. ine following are some of the more widely 3irculated popular magazines: Bingo, Paris Match, Jeune Afrique, La Vie Africaine, and the European edition of Time. There are numerous trade associations in the Ivory Coast, and several of them publish excellent monthly bulletins (e.g., Syndicat des Entrepreneurs et Indus- triels, Syndicat des Exportateurs et Negociants en Bois, Syndicat des Industriels) . Although none of these bulletins has contained any paid advertising in the past, there may be no valid reason why they should not start doing so. Most Ivory Coast businessmen also read several trade journals published in France and Senegal which do carry advertising. Leading publications of this type are : Marches Tropicaux et Mediterraneens. A weekly magazine, published by Rene Moreux et Cie., 190 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris 8e, France, which reg- ularly carries articles on trade, industry and agricul- 61 ture in French-speaking Africa. There are annual market reviews of the entire area and frequent special issues devoted to individual product groups or coun- tries. Some of the latter are put out in special Eng- lish-language editions; the latest such issue on the Ivory Coast was dated June 15, 1963. Bulletin de VAfrique Noire. A weekly journal, pub- lished by Ediafric, 57, Avenue dTena, Paris 16e, France. Contains articles on political and economic developments in Africa, with emphasis on the French- speaking areas. Moniteur Africain du commerce et de Vindustrie. A weekly newspaper for businessmen, summarizing economic developments in French-speaking West Africa. Published by Moniteur Africain, 17 Avenue Jean Jaures, Dakar, Senegal. B.P. 1877. Among the trade publications which may be most promising as advertising media, reference should also be made to the business directories listed above under the section, Foreign Sources. Point-of-sale advertising is used increasingly in de- partment stores and larger established retail outlets in the Ivory Coast. Managers of these stores are aware of the importance of attractive product presen- tation and of the effect proper placement of merchan- dise can have on impulse buying. Display material from manufacturers is welcomed and, when provided, is invariably used to great advantage. In the smaller retail shops and market stalls throughout the country, however, such merchandising aids are seldom, if ever, used. Goods are usually stacked or arranged in an orderly manner, but space limitations and the small stocks of any particular item usually carried by these merchants preclude the use of elaborate display mate- rial. Product presentation is important in this market- ing situation, as it is in any other, however, and much can be done through attractive packaging. Other advertising media used in the Ivory Coast include bus and train placards, posters, billboards, and traveling sales promotion vans. Advertising in buses is used especially in the Abid- jan area where the only municipal bus system of the country is operated. Train placards are displayed to some 2^4 million railroad passengers annually. Posters and billboards are used extensively in cities and towns. Sound vans are a widely used and very effective method of advertising. These vans, generally oper- ated by manufacturers' agents or by direct importers with exclusive lines, travel to the cities, towns, and even to small villages. Music or other entertainment is used in order to attract a crowd; this is followed by an intensive sales presentation and a demonstra- tion of the product. Advertising with vans is an ex- pensive operation in terms of cost per customer VILLAGE MARKET: The Ivory Coast market dly do a brisk business in pots but this was a dull day. reached, but it is considered to be highly effective and indeed essential as a means of introducing new products into more remote market areas. The direct advertising approach may be particu- larly effective in certain cases, notably in selling ma- chinery and equipment. Some local firms can arrange small exhibitions and several firms have showrooms of their own for product display. Supplying samples, pamphlets, catalogs, and other sales literature to in- dividual buyers is a good practice and is often deci- sive in making a sale. Whatever the medium used, advertising in the Ivory Coast should be adapted to the local African popula- tion since they comprise the mass of the consuming public. The adaptation, however, should not have the effect of disguising the foreign origin of the product inasmuch as the foreign character of a product gen- erally gives it a high social and pecuniary value. Rather the idea is to emphasize its foreign origins in a way which is clearly understood by the public. For example, if people are depicted, they should have typically African faces; and signs and movies should have French subtitles. Consumer goods are often given an African name for use in ads and sales literature. The importance of adapted advertising underscores the desirability of relying on local facilities through which to carry on an advertising program. There are at least four advertising firms operating in the Ivory Coast, and all of them provide services in other Afri- can countries as well. Two of the firms are under French management; the others are managed by Ivoir- iens. One of the former is also prepared to do market research. Appendixes APPENDIX A. American Firms in the Ivory Coast This list has been compiled from information sup- plied by American Foreign Service Officers abroad under the direction of the Secretary of State. While every effort has been made to include in the list only firms of good repute, no responsibility can be assumed in connection with any persons or firms listed herein, nor for any transactions had with such persons or firms. African Petroleum Terminals, Ltd., P.O. Box 986, Abidjan. Allis-Chalmers, c/o CAEI-Cie. Africaine d'Equipment Industriel, P.O. Box 836, Abidjan. Bank of America, c/o BICICI — Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l'lndustrie en Cote d'lvoire, P.O. Box 1298, Abidjan. Bankers Trust Co., c/o Societe Generale de Banques en Cote d'lvoire, P.O. Box 1355, Abidjan. Caterpillar Tractor, c/o Manutention Africaine, P.O. Box 1299, Abidjan. Chase Manhattan Bank, c/o BIDI— Banque Ivoirienne de Developpement Industriel, P.O. Box 4470, Abidjan. Delta Lines, c/o Cie. Maritime de Chargeurs Reunis, P.O. Box 1295, Abidjan. Development and Resources Corporation, P.O. Box 2403, Abidjan. Farrell Lines, c/o UMARCO, P.O. Box 1559, Abidjan. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., c/o Gruber, P.O. Box International Harvester Export Company, c/o CFAO — Cie. Francaise de l'Afrique Occidentale, P.O. Box 1278, Abidjan. Ivoirienne-American Construction Co., P.O. Box 1672, Abidjan. Kaiser Engineers & Constructors, P.O. Box 2790, Abidjan. Mack Trucks, Inc., P.O. Box 2407, Abidjan. Morgan Guaranty Trust Co., c/o Societe Ivoirienne de Banque, P.O. Box 1300, Abidjan. Pan American World Airways, c/o Hotel Ivoire, P.O. Box 8001, Abidjan. Chas. Pfizer & Co., P.O. Box 4135, Abidjan. Riegel Textile Co., c/o ICODI — Societe des Impressions sur Tissus, P.O. Box 2507, Abidjan. Simmons Co., ego Societe Ivoirienne Simmons, P.O. Box 2578, Abidjan. Company, P.O. Box 1531, /o Mobil Oil A.O., P.O. Box of New Jersey, c/o Esso, P.O. Box 1598, c/o Texaco Africa, Ltd., P.O. Box 1782, Abidjai First National City Bank of New York, c/o BIAO— Banque Internationale de l'Afrique Occidentale, P.O. Box 1274, Abidjan. Goodyear International Company, c/o Stokvis, P.O. Box 1756, Abidjan. Intercontinental Hotel Corporation, c/o Hotel Ivoire, P.O. Box 8001, Abidjan. IBM World Trade Corporation, c/o IBM— France, P.O. Box 964, Abidjan. , Inc., c/o Polyplast, P.O. Box APPENDIX B. Priority Enterprises Under the Investment Law of September 3, 1959, all firms which qualify as priority enterprises are entitled to certain tax advantages and other privileges. One of the most important of these privileges, from the point of view of the American exporter, is ex- emption from the droit de douane, or customs duty, both for capital goods and for raw materials. This means that American firms selling to priority enter- prises are on the same footing as French and other EEC suppliers, as far as import duties are concerned. This is, of course, not the case for other U.S. exports to the Ivory Coast where preferential tariff rates apply to goods from the EEC. The following is a list of priority enterprises as of September 1, 1965. Food Processing, Tobacco, Matches AFRILAIT (Societe Africaine du Lait), (P. 0. Box 1215), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of recombined and bottled milk. Capacity: 8,000 tons of fresh milk equivalent. Capital: 100 million francs CFA. BESTLAIT (P. 0. Box 4471), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of recombined and bottled milk. Capacity: 2,000 short tons of fresh milk equivalent. Capital: 25 million francs CFA. CAPRAL (Compagnie Africaine de Preparations Alimen- taires et Dietetiques), (P. 0. Box 1021), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of soluble coffee. Capacity: 2,500 tons of green coffee or 700 tons of powdered coffee a year. Capital: 50 million francs CFA. GMA (Les Grands Moulins d'Abidjan), (P. 0. Box 1743), Abidjan. Type: Wheat flour mill. Capacity: 40,000 tons of wheat flour a year. Capital: 2 billion francs CFA. SACO (Societe Africaine de Cacao), (P. 0. Box 1045), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of cocoa butter and powder. Capacity: 12,000 tons of cocoa beans a year (10,000 tons of butter and powder). Capital: 200 million francs CFA. SALCI (Societe Alsacienne de la Cote dTvoire), (P. O. Box 1191), Abidjan. Type: Pineapple canning factory. Capacity: 20,000 short tons of fruit a year to be expanded to 30,000 tons a year in 1967. Capital: 459 million francs CFA. SOTROPAL (Societe Tropicales des Allumettes), (P. O. Box 1873), Abidjan. Type: Match factory. Capacity: 80 million boxes of 50 sticks a year. Capital: 105.6 million francs CFA. Fats and Oils, Petroleum, Chemical Products, Paints, Plastics CCP (Compagnie du Caoutchouc du Pakidie), (P. 0. Box 1191), Abidjan. Type: Rubber plantation and latex refinery. Capacity: 150 short tons of latex. Capital: 415 million francs CFA. CIP (Cote dTvoire Plastique), Zone 4, Km. 5 (P.O. Box 778), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of plastic sandals and household articles. Capacity: Not yet in operation. Capital: 26.5 million francs CFA. HSL (Huilerie et Savonnerie des Lagunes Blohorn), (P. O. Box 46), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of oil and soap. Capacity: Soap 15,000 short tons; oil 8,000 short tons (to be expanded). Capital: 378 million francs CFA. LPA (Laboratoires Pharmaceutiques Africains), (P. O. Box 167), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of pharmaceutical prod- ucts. Capacity: Production to begin in 1965. Capital: 80 million francs CFA. MIPA (Manufacture Ivoirienne des Plastiques Africains), (P. O. Box 2465), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of plastic articles, primarily shoes. Capacity: 1 million pairs of shoes a year in 1965. Capital: 8 million francs CFA. PHCI (Societe Plantations et Huileries de Cote dTvoire), (P. 0. Box 715), Abidjan. Type: Palm oil plantations and eventual refiner of palm oil. Capacity: Refinery not yet operat- ing. Capital: 120 million francs CFA. SAEC (Societe Abidjanaise d' Expansion Chimique), (P. O. Box 2578), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of paints, varnish and dyes. Capacity: 120 short tons a month in 1965. Capital: 30 million francs CFA. SAPH (Societe Africaine de Plantations d'Heveas), (P. 0. Box 1322), Abidjan. Type: Rubber tree plantation and latex refinery. Capacity: Refinery not yet in operation. Capital: 1,760 million francs CFA. SAPROCSY (Societe Africaine de Produits Chimiques et de Synthese), Boulevard Lagunaire de Cocody (P. O. Box 46), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of synthetic detergents. Ca- pacity: 7,200 short tons a year. Capital: 25 million francs CFA. SIPEC (Societe Ivoirienne de Peintures et Colorants). Rue Brossette Valor, Zone 1 (P. 0. Box 1825), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of paints, varnish, etc. Capacity: 1,800 short tons a year. Capital: 20 million francs CFA. SIR (Societe Ivoirienne de Raffinage) Immeuble Fakhry (P. 0. Box 2447), Abidjan. Type: Petroleum refinery (gaso- line, fuel oil, butane, etc.). Capacity: 700,000 short tons a year beginning in 1966. Capital: 1 billion francs CFA. Societe Shell de l'Afrique Occidentale, 5, Avenue Chardy (P. O. Box 1348), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of insecti- cides. Capacity: 410,000 liters a year. Capital: 84,483,000 francs CFA. SOFACO (Societe Africaine de Fabrication, Formulation et Conditionnement), Zone 4A (P. O. Box 1216), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of insecticides. Capacity: 300 short tons, to be expanded to 2,000 tons in 1966. Capital: 15 million francs CFA. Building Materials, Wood CIB (Compagnie Industrielle du Bois), (P. O. Box 813), Abidjan. Type: Sawmill, plywood, veneer, etc. Capacity: 4.860 cubic meters of wood in 1966 — not yet operational. Capital: 20 million francs CFA. SICM (Societe Ivoirienne des Ciments et Materiaux). Type: Cement factory; uses imported clinkers. Capacity: 150,000 tons a year beginning in 1967. Not yet operational. Capital: 90 million francs CFA. Textiles and Clothing BATA Ivoirienne, Avenue Houdaille (P. O. Box 1762), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of shoes. Capacity: 3 million pairs a year in 1965. Capital: 63 million francs CFA. DRA (Etablissements Devanlay Recoing Afrique), (P. 0. Box 1560), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of cotton under- clothes and hosiery. Capacity: 2 million pieces a year. Capital: 75 million francs CFA. ICODI (Societe des Impressions sur Tissus de Cote dTvoire), Zone Industrielle (P. O. Box 2507), Abidjan. Type: Manu- facturer of printed textiles. Capacity: 3 million meters a year of "fancy" cloth. Capital: 240 million francs CFA. MACODI (Manufacture de Confection de Cote dTvoire), Route de Port-Bouet, Km. 8 (P. O. Box 944), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of clothing. Capacity: 100,000 pieces a year. SAB (Societe Africaine de Bonneterie), Immeuble Fakhry, Boulevard de Marseille (P. O. Box 4331), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of hosiery. Capacity: 150 dozen articles per day. Capital: 22.5 million francs CFA. SAFRIC (Societe Africaine de Confection), Zone Industrielle (P. O. Box 2544), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of men's and women's wear, pants and shirts made of cotton. Capacity: 200,000 pieces a month. Capital: 50 million francs CFA. SATEX (Societe Africaine de Textiles). Type: Textile wholesalers. Capital: 80 million francs CFA. Metalworking, Mechanical and Electrical ABI (Abidjan Industries), (P. O. Box 343), Abidjan. Type: Foundry, mechanical construction (decorticators, hydraulic pumps, etc.). Capacity: Not known. Capital: 10 million francs CFA. CARENA (Compagnie Abidjanaise de Reparations Navales et de Travaux Industriels), Baie du Banco, a cote du Parc-a- 66 Bois (P. 0. Box 453), Abidjan. Type: Shipbuilder, drydock and industrial foundry. Capacity: 1 drydock; 4 shipways; boats up to 600 tons. Capital: 75 million francs CFA. MAC (Manufacture Africaine du Cycle), (P. O. Box 1768), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of bicycles. Capacity: 35,000 bikes a year. Capital: 75 million francs CFA. MECANEMBAL (Societe Africaine d'Emballages Metal- liques), (P. O. Box 742), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of tin cans and other containers. Capacity: 2.2 million units a year in 1963, to be expanded to 3.9 million in 1967. Capital: 25 million francs CFA. SAFAR (Societe Africaine de Fabrication des Automobiles Renault); Route de Port-Bouet (P. O. Box 1336), Abidjan. Type: Renault car, truck and tractor assembly plant. Ca- pacity: 20 units a day (actual production about 10 per day). Capital: 50 million francs CFA. SAR (Societe Africaine Radioelectrique), (P. O. Box 1238), Abidjan. Type: Radio and television apparatus plant. Ca- pacity: 10,000 transistor receivers; 800 television receivers; 1,000 record players. Capital: 100 million francs CFA. SIGAL (Societe Ivoirienne de Galvanisation), Km. 4, Route de Port Bouet (P. O. Box 1117), Abidjan. Type: Manufac- turer of galvanised iron sheet. Capacity: Not known. Capital: 50 million francs CFA. SOTREC (Societe des Trefileries et Clouteries de la Cc-te d'lvoire), (P. O. Box 798), Abidjan. Type: Manufacturer of nails, wire, etc. Capacity: 5,000 tons a year. Capital: 20 million francs CFA. Mining Compagnie de MOKTA (P. O. Box 1848), Abidjan. Type: Manganese and diamond mining company. Production: 109,000 short tons in 1963. Capital: 31.2 million francs CFA. WASTON (P. O. Box 2816), Abidjan. Type: Diamond ex- ploration and mining company. Capital: 50 million francs CFA. Real Estate GFCI (Groupement Foncier de la Cote d'lvoire), Boulevard Achalme, (P. O. Box 1761), Abidjan. Type: Real estate company. Capital: 205 million francs CFA. SOHICO (Societe Hoteliere et Immobiliere de Cocody), (P. O. Box 767), Abidjan. Type: Proprietor of Hotel Relais de Cocody. Capital: 107 million francs CFA. SPDC (Societe du Palace de Cocody), (P. O. Box 4136), Abidjan. Type: Proprietor of Hotel Ivoire. Capital: 1,312 million francs CFA. APPENDIX C. U.S. Department of Commerce — Field Offices Albuquerque, N. Mex., 87101, U.S. Courthouse. Phone: 247- 0311. Anchorage, Alaska, 99501. Rm. 306, Loussac-Sogn Building. Phone: 272-6331. Atlanta, Ga., 30303, 75 Forsyth St., N.W. Phone: 526-6000. Baltimore, Md., 21202, Rm. 305, U.S. Customhouse, Gay and Lombard Sts. Phone: Plaza 2-8460 Ext. 2784. Birmingham, Ala., 35205, Suite 200-1, 908 South Twentieth Street. Phone: 325-3327. Boston, Mass., 02110, Room 230, 80 Federal St. Phone: CApitol 3-2312. Buffalo, N.Y., 14203, 504 Federal Bldg., 117 Ellicott St. Phone: 842-3208. Charleston, W. Va., 25301, 3002 New Federal Office Bldg., 500 Quarrier St. Phone: 343-6196. Cheyenne, Wyo., 82001, 6022 U.S. Federal Bldg. and Court House, 2120 Capitol Ave. Phone: 634-5920. Chicago, 111., 60604, 1486 New Federal Building, 219 South Dearborn St. Phone: 828-4400. Cleveland, Ohio, 44101, 4th Floor, Federal Reserve Bank Bldg., East 6th St. & Superior Ave. Phone: 241-7900. Dallas, Tex., 75202, Room 1200, 1114 Commerce St. Phone: Riverside 9-3287. Denver, Colo., 80202, 16407 Fed. Bldg., 20th & Stout Sts. Phone: 297-3246. Des Moines, la., 50309, 1216 Paramount Bldg., 509 Grand Avenue. Phone: 284-4222. Detroit, Mich., 48226, 445 Federal Bldg. Phone: 226-6088. Greensboro, N.C., 27402, Room 412, U.S. Post Office Bldg. Phone: 275-9111. Hartford, Conn., 06103, 18 Asylum St. Phone: 244-3530. Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813, 202 International Savings Bldg., 1022 Bethel St. Phone: 588-977. Houston, Tex., 77002, 5102 Federal Bldg., 515 Rusk Ave. Phone: CA 8-0611. Jacksonville, Fla., 32202, 512 Greenleaf Bldg., 208 Laura St. Phone: ELgin 4-7111. Kansas Citv, Mo., 64106, Room 2011, 911 Walnut St. Phone: BAltimore 1-7000. Los Angeles, Calif., 90015, Room 450, Western Pacific Bldg., 1031 S. Broadway. Phone: 688-2833. Memphis, Tenn., 38103, 345 Federal Office Bldg., 167 N. Main St. Phone: 534-3214. Miami, Fla., 33130, Rm. 1628, Federal Office Bldg., 51 S.W. 1st Ave. Phone: 350-5267. Milw New Orleans, La., 70130, 909 Federal Office Bldg., (South) 610 South St. Phone 527-6546. New York, N.Y., 10001, 61st FL, Empire State Bldg.. 350 Fifth Ave. Phone: LOngacre 3-3377. Pittsburgh, Pa., 15222, Room 2201, Federal Bldg., 1000 Liberty Ave. Phone: 644-2850. Portland, Oreg., 97204, 217 Old U.S. Courthouse, 520 S. W. Morrison St. Phone: 226-3361. Reno, Nev., 89502, Room 2028, Federal Bldg., 300 Booth St. Phone: 784-5203. Richmond, Va., 23240, 2105 Federal Bldg., 400 North 8th St. Phone: 649-3611. San Francisco, Calif., 94102, Room 11464, Federal Bldg., 450 Golden Gate Ave. Phone: 556-5864. Santurce, Puerto Rico, 00907, Room 628, 605 Condado Ave. Phone: 723-4640. Savannah, Ga., 31402, 235 U.S. Courthouse and Post Office Bldg., 125-29 Bull St. Phone: 232-4321. Seattle, Wash., 98104, 809 Federal Office Bldg., 909 First Ave. Phone: 583-5615. 67 APPENDIX D. Bibliography This bibliography is not intended to be exhaustive, but, rather, to provide a selected list of references, in addition to those listed in chapter IX, containing information on the Ivory Coast of special interest to American businessmen. I. Ivory Coast Government Publications A. Ministere des Finances, des Affairs Econo- miques et du Plan, Direction de la Statistioue et des Etudes Economiques et Demographiques, Abidjan: Bulletin Mensuel de Statistique. Monthly. This publication appears about four months after the period covered and contains much valuable statistical in- formation. Situation Economique de la Cote d'lvoire. Annual. This publication appears about 18 months after the period covered and contains a considerable analysis in addition to statistical information. Les Comptes Economiques de la Cote, d'lvoire, 1958 et 1960, 197 p. Comptabilite Economique, 1962-1963, 44 p. These two publications represent an attempt to estab- lish national accounts for the Ivorv Coast. While much of the data on which they are based is sketchy (as freelv admitted by their authors), they grive a helpful idea of the relative importance of different sectors of the economy. Statistiques du Commerce Exterieur de la Cote d'lvoire. 1962. 279 p. A complete tabulation of all imports and exports, by commodity, by country and by various commodity and country groups. This is the latest in a series of annual publications, which has, unfortunately, been discontinued. Current sta- tistics are available, however, for consultation at the Chamber of Commerce in Abidjan. Abbreviated sum- maries of more recent statistics are published by the Direction du Commerce Exterieur (see below). B. Ministere des Finances, des Affaires Econo- miques et du Plan, Direction du Commerce Exterieur, Abidjan: Commerce Exterieur et Balance Commerciale de la Republique de Cote d'lvoire, 1964. 144 p. Annual. Contains abbreviated foreign trade statistics, (coun- try by commodity group). Memento Economique, 1964. 38 p. Annual. A still more abbreviated summary, containing many useful aggregate figures. C. Ministere de ITnformation, Services d'lnforma- tion, Abidjan: Ivory Coast Republic, 1964. A brochure containing many photographs and much useful background in- formation on the Ivory Coast, its history and political and economic structure. II. United States Government Publications A. U.S. Department of Commerce Basic Data on the Economy of the Republic of the Ivory Coast. OBR 63-32. 20 pp. January 1963. Basic Data on the Economy of the Republic of Mali. OBR 64-17. 7 pp. April 1964. Basic Data on the Economy of Nipier. WTIS, Part 1, No. 62-67. 16 pp. September 1962. Basic Data on the Economy of Upper Volta. OBR 65-7. 6 pp. January 1965. Economic Developments in the Republic of Mali, 1961. Part 1, No. 62-58. June 1962. Foreign Trade Regulations of the West African Customs Union (Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauri- tania, Niger, Senegal, Upper Volta) and Togo. OBR 64-60, 11 pp. June 1964. Investment Law in the Ivory Coast. WTIS, Part 1, No. 61-72. 12 pp. November 1961. Investment Law in the Republic of Niger. OBR 63-105. 4 pp. July 1963. Investment Law in the Republic of Upper Volta. OBR 63-106. 4 pp. July 1963. Semi-Annual Economic Reports, prepared by the American Embassy, Abidjan. (Copies available through the Commercial Intelligence Division, Bu- reau of International Commerce) : A-83, October 23, 1965 (January-June 1965); A-302, March 20, 1965 (July-December 1964) ; A-58, August 25, 1964 (Janu- ary-June 1964). B. U.S. Department of State Background Notes: Republic of Ivory Coast. Febru- ary 1964. 4 p. C. Department of Agriculture The Agricultural Economy of the Ivory Coast. ERS Foreign 69. 1964. 40 p. III. Other Publications The most important trade journals and business directories covering the area are listed in chapter IX. Other useful publications include: "The Ivory Coast Market," a special 135-page issue, in English, dated June 15, 1963, of the weekly maga- zine Marches Tropicaux et Mediterraneens. While slightly out-of-date, it contains a wealth of market information. Cote d'lvoire, Carte Michelin No. 175. 3F. This is by far the best road map of Ivory Coast and contains much other useful information. 68 APPENDIX E. Notes for Business Travelers Health conditions, which vary in the Ivory Coast, are entirely adequate in Abidjan and Bouake (the major commercial and industrial centers most likely to be visited by business travelers), but less satisfac- tory in remote areas. It is generally recommended that one should drink only bottled water or other bottled beverages when traveling through this area and consuming a variety of foods, cooked in numerous ways. Visitors to the Ivory Coast are required to have valid certificates of vaccination against smallpox and yellow fever. Immunizations for typhus, typhoid, tet- anus, and polio are also strongly recommended. Preventive drugs against malaria should be taken regularly as prescribed during a period beginning 2 weeks prior to arrival in West Africa and ending 1 month after departure. Modern hospital facilities are available in Abidjan and Bouake; smaller hospitals or dispensaries are located in most other cities and towns. Very satisfactory hotel accommodations are avail- able in Abidjan, including two luxury hotels and several first-class ones. Most hotel rooms are air conditioned. Rates range from about $10 per day at first-class hotels to $12 and up at the luxury hotels. There is one first-class hotel in Bouake, and modest but comfortable accommodations are available in several other cities and towns. Expansion of hotel space has not kept pace with increased demand in most Ivoirien cities and towns. Visitors are therefore advised to make hotel reserva- tions well in advance and, when traveling in the in- terior, to have their travel agency or carrier telegraph ahead at each stop to confirm arrival and departure dates. Air Ivoire provides a good schedule of connections between larger cities and towns in the Ivory Coast. Taxis are abundant in most cities; those in Abidjan and Bouake are fitted with meters, but in other cities charges can be high unless the traveler is pre- pared to bargain. Information as to standard fares can usually be obtained at hotels. Cars may be rented in principal cities. Daily charges range approximately from $20 to $40, de- pending on the type of car and whether or not a driver is provided. International communications are generally ade- quate. Cable service is good. Airmail from the U.S. east coast requires onlv 4 to 7 days to arrive in the Ivory Coast and costs 25$ per half ounce. First-class surface mail requires from 4 to 8 weeks and costs 11$ for the first ounce and 7$ for each additional ounce. Airmail is therefore strongly recommended for all business if time is a factor. It is essential to include the post office box number (Boite Postale) on mail addressed to the Ivory Coast. Local business firms must pick up their mail from their boxes. Communications within the Ivory Coast are rela- tively poor. Telegrams between towns may take two or three days to be delivered and ordinary mail may take as much as a week. Telephone service, however, is quite good and the direct distance dialing network which is already in operation between Abidjan and Bouake is being rapidly expanded. Normal business hours for commercial firms in the Ivory Coast are 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays. Many small shops stay open later than these hours. Commercial banks are open for business from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on weekdays and from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays. Government offices are open normally from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays. The following holidays are observed in the Ivory Coast: New Years Day— January 1, Feast of Ra- madan — late February, Easter Monday, Labor Dav — May 1, Tabaski — early May, Ascension Day — May 23, Whit Monday — early June, Independence Day — August 7, Feast of the Assumption — August 15, All Saints Day — November 1, and Christmas Day — December 25. The Ivory Coast has a tropical climate. Wash and wear clothing suitable for summer in the United States is recommended for year-round wear in the Ivory Coast. Rain apparel is necessary for the rainy seasons. In Julv, August, and September, the Ivory Coast is somewhat cooler than Washington, D. C, at that time of year. Electric current is 220-volt, 50-cycle alternating current. A valid U.S. passport and an entry visa from the Ivory Coast Government are required for any person planning to visit the Ivory Coast. Visas may be ob- tained from the Ivory Coast Embassy in Washington, D. C, or the Ivory Coast Consulate in New York. An application for a visa must be accompanied by four photographs and an International Health Cer- tificate showing vaccination against smallpox and yel- low fever. If the visa is requested for a business trip, the applicant must submit a letter from the company by which he is employed, mentioning his position, destination, purpose of travel, and proposed length of stay and stating that his expenses will be borne by the concern. 69 Tables Table 1. — National Income, 1958 and 1960-64, and Percent Change, 1958-64 1958 1960 1961 1962 Percent change, Gross domestic product Less : Amortization, indirect t Net national income Per capita national income.... 3 and foreign transfers ...$ Millions —103 —126 —143 ...$ Millions 361 469 521 ....Dollars 110 137 148 1964) which has taker Valu Pe rcent change. Item 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1960-64 Exports, total Imports, total Balance of trade Trade, total 152.4 120.9 + 31.5 273.3 192.3 170.6 + 21.7 362.7 194.7 157.3 + 37.4 231.9 171.1 + 60.8 403.0 304.1 247.0 + 57.1 551.1 + 100.0 + 104.0 + 89.1 + 101.8 Source: Min Demographiques, Bulletin Mensuel d 2 Except diamonds, on which weight is given in car 3 Fresh, canned and juice. 3 Source: Bulletin Men an el ) f 1 ) (») 1 6 8 6 1. France (M t 1 ) 0) (i) 1 2 4 2 1. Sweden (*) (*) I 1 ) (*) 3 3 Refrigeration equip.— over 10 hp.. ( x ) ( l ) (*) (*) 3 48 27 27 9. U.S.A P) I 1 ) t 1 ) I 1 ) 48 16 12 Netherlands P) i 1 ) t 1 ) (*) 10 Other refrigeration equipment f 1 ) i 1 ) ( l ) 0) 12 189 25 15 26. France (*) t 1 ) f 1 ) (>) 5 15 15 9 10. U.S.A 0) f 1 ) (*) f 1 ) 7 171 2 5 14. Spare parts for refrigerators 0) ( x ) f 1 ) ( ] ) 6 10 17 14 22. France (») (!) (i) (?) 4 3 12 8 14. U.S.A 0) t 1 ) f 1 ) (i) 1 5 3 3 6. Sewing machines 4,395 6,202 5,100 4,381 107 145 120 127 238. Switzerland 642 329 456 823 13 6 8 14 58. Italy 217 522 443 1,010 6 13 11 (») 18. Japan 424 1,086 270 802 20 37 8 ( J ) 17 Great Britain 1,790 2,769 3,194 488 33 46 81 9 73. France 461 723 382 321 5 13 6 I 1 ) 22. West Germany 635 585 324 272 23 24 6 (*) 33. Spain 195 145 302 6 5 9 10, Heating appliances, (irons, toasters, etc.) f 1 ) ( l ) ( J ) I 1 ) 49 77 77 102 77 France (*) (*) (i) (i) 42 75 72 97 68 Washing machines (*) (*) (*) (i) 4 14 18 11 8 France I 1 ) (i) (i) I 1 ) 2 12 13 7 3 L' S \. (i) (i) (i) 0) 2 2 4 3 4. Other electric appliances ( x ) f 1 ) ( J ) (*) 49 38 42 42 77. Netherlands i 1 ) (') t 1 ) t 1 ) t 1 ) 9 10 13 ( West Germany (i) (') (i) > 245.9 220.4 7.1 8.5 5.0 2.2 1,958.7 1,925.6 11.2 18^5 18K2 1,525.9 1,424.9 18.8 .2 60.9 279.5 273.5 6.9 21.5 3!3 548.8 38^7 6.6 7.3 3.0 288.6 264.3 22.1 2.2 5.9 3.6 2.3 1,770.1 1,741.5 9.8 1.6 17.2 137.1 137.1 1,907.7 1,725.1 .5 1.6 17.2 Olh.-r perfumery etc 13" 9 West Germany !o U.S.A Toilet soap, including: medicated soap.. .0 274.3 Vitamins and vitamin preparations.... 9.8 Bandages Other pharni.iic.itic.il products 2,392.1 Source: Stni ■ ;t,,j,it * du Commerce Ex terieur. 19 62-64. INTERCOASTAL CANAL: This Canal of Assinie serves to connect the waterways along the Atlantic border of the Ivory Coast. Table 21. — Imports Weight and Value, 1961-64 Item W ight Value 1961 1962 1963 1964 1961 1962 19 3 1964 Camera-; (still) 2.6 1 1 9 9 3 1 6 1 1 6 5 7 2.8 1.2 (i) 5.1 4.3 .5 5.1 11.6 134 165 5.4 17.4 1.1 .7 .2 0) 6 5 .7 f 1 ) 2.5 1.5 .3 .3 9.4 198 164 5 389 75.8 52.7 10.2 30.2 8.2 3.3 15.9 24.1 15.5 55.1 302.9 753.1 53 7 32 7 2 2 5 19 12 414 406 140 535 85 1 50 3 16 7 22 8 3 4 6 7 46 6 22 3 5 4 43 2 15 9 7 2 13 3 536 1 409 5 497 3 35 2 69 3 32 4 20 1 95 4 2 3 281 1 163 5 2 7 64 8 1,663 6 2.441 1 193 4 Germany Japan Switzerland Movie cameras 5 !ZZ!!ZZZZZZ !i 2 9 Japan Movie projectors 6 200 12.1 454 fi Accessories (for hunting and fishing) 14 9 e Exterieur, 1961-64. —Imports of Petroleum Products, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 [Weight in metric tons ; value in thousands of dollars] Item and pri xcipal Weight Value supplier 1961 1962 1963 1964 1961 1962 1963 1964 Petroleum ] Venezuela 202,351 217,616 108,556 99,558 7,064 20,696 48,056 8,997 23,326 5,814 4,660 50,028 2,356 Sources: Situation Economique 1963, pp. 150f, tables F25 and F26; Stat ,020 8,055.0 8,200.1 ,796 3,627.2 3,729.5 ,571 1.3 3.1 ,590 249.4 746.5 189 .0 308.2 ,486 459.5 191.4 971 79.6 .0 951 2,375.9 2,820.8 du Comn terce Exter eur, 1961- Tallow U.S.A France Palm oil, crude Congo-Leopoldville .. Dahomey 2 Soybean oil 0,859 1,528 2,418 18,744 2.431 3,165 1,991 2,953 1 Based on imports from West African Customs Union, most of which presumed to originate in Senegal. 2 Based on imports from West African Customs Union, most of which presumed to originate in Dahomey. 3 Less than 0.5. Source: Statistique du Commerce Exterieur, 1961-64; Situation Economique 1963, pp. 151ff, tables F27 and F28 and pp. 182ff. Table 24. — Imports > Item and principal supplie Poland Italy Senegal ' Common metals France Belgium and LuxeniluMirg .. West Germany Italy U.S.A Fertilizers France Italy West Germany Belgium and Luxembourg .. Ph.-si m. n-i-iiti<-nl products France West Germany U.S.A Netherlands Algeria Chi 1 1 1 i i •: 1 1 iniuluits France U.S.A West Germany Belgium and Luxembourg .. Italy Paper and cardboard France Sweden West Germany Plastic materials France United Kingdom West Germany U.S.A Italy Mi . . Il.-ineous metal products 136,248 30,051 91,222 104,542 55,419 29,963 2,278.7 494.6 1,545.9 2,745.2 891.4 United Kingdom . Table 24. — Imports of Semimi [Weight in Item and principal supplier — - Semimanufactures, total 201,844 231 France 140,696 16! Belgium and Luxembourg 33,832 6i West Germany 477 Italy 358 1 U.S.A. . 1963, pp. 182ff. ufactures, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 continued ;tric tons; value in thousands of dollars] imports from West African Customs Union, most of which presumed to originate in Senegal. See Situation Econt 153 ff, tables F29 a l Embassy, Abidjan; Statistiques du Commerce ExUrieur 3,21)9 917 265 229 111 382 39 3,639 3,089 39 1,273 ( l ) 0) (*) 4,644 4,119 207 127 3,998 3,568 88 6,080 192 125 76 1,411 1,354 7 6 25 6,626 1,044 4,048 1,098 169 78 L993 73 40 2,'562 2 682 5,575 3,254 Italy West Germany Belgium and Luxembourg 176 Switzerland Electrical machinery France 12 4,057 60 Hardware and tools t 1 ) West Germany 152 147 West Germany 287 U.S.A 1,651 1,058 Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts 910 Italy 23 Netherlands France Italy Capital goods, total 27,282 2,680 U.S.A United Kingdom 569 1 Data are not available. 2 Less than 0.5. Source: Situation Economique 1962 154ff, tat 2,799 3,447 2,490 3,052 I 1 ) 221 83 81 31,564 44,011 22,081 31,057 2,869 3,894 2,969 3,746 1961 1962 1963 1964 10,939.0 11,236.9 13,155.8 18,916.2 7,569.7 6,413.2 8,880.8 11,564.6 1,792.1 2,376.1 1,851.6 2,801.5 461.9 438.7 446.6 1,373.3 647.4 681.4 760.2 1,232.8 191.2 191.0 152.4 517.3 566.0 545.9 518.0 483.7 94.8 207.1 229.7 237.3 144.1 75.6 85.7 (i) 6,226.6 6,369.7 10,092.1 13,737.8 5,003.3 5,516.4 7,823.9 10,930.7 136.4 131.8 1,500.1 1,256.1 104.4 89.3 73.9 429.8 .0 '.0 (i) 289!8 139.6 104.7 127.5 168.1 1,151.0 1,134.7 1,591.8 1,742.9 0) 742.9 820.4 951.0 ( ] ) 228.6 428.6 371.4 f 1 ) 102.0 155.1 163.3 f 1 ) 89.8 98.0 142.9 (») 28.6 32.7 36.7 5,810.0 4,149.6 3,605.8 6,951.0 '31u!5 '22L4 'l74!3 *573!9 52.9 180.0 180.2 363.8 166.1 106.9 16.7 4,836.3 3,042.4 1,024.0 26.7 2,572.0 2,947.5 132.9 84.2 5,918.4 3,998.6 1,224.0 8,221.3 1,623.2 8,506.4 1,452.2 11,442.5 2,070.8 1,594.2 233.0 983.1 138.7 2,636.2 132.5 164.1 .7 35.7 176.3 2,761.3 2,589.9 2,664.8 2,471.8 3,568.8 42.1 66.0 88.3 7,966.8 4,989.7 4,909.2 3,863.4 44,245.0 31,633.0 43,981.8 37,525.7 6,332.5 5,656.2 54ff, table F32; Statistiques du Com Table 26. — M France Pakistan Netherlands i '.uiil i.ulia West Indian Fed. . Ceramics and glassw; Fiance Italy Austria . U.S.A. .. Untied Kingdom U.S.A Precision instruments France Switzerland West Germany U.S.A Italy Misci llaneous imports, total .. 1 Less than 0.5. 2 Data are not available. Source: Situation Ecmuimiquc 1962, 59ff, table F36: Statistiques du Commerce Exterieur, 1961-64. Table 27. — Area Planted to Crops and Agricultural Production, 1960-63 [Are a in thousar ds of hecta res 1 ; productio i in thousands of metr c tons] Crop Ares planted Production 1960 1961 1962 1963 1960 1961 1962 1963 Coffee Pineapples Kola nuts .. Palm oil .... Rubber Cotton Tobacco 5.5 5.9 7.2 n half of the country. 1 One hectare=2.471 acres. 2 Kola nut trees grow throughout the south. 8 Data are not available. * Plantations only: plantations ivciv expanded to reach 33,000 hecta: 6 Production expected to reach 12,000 metric tons by 1970. Source : Situation Eco hectares in 1970. See footnote 1 1962, pp. 7ff; 1963, pp. 7ff. Table 28. — Imports of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery, in Weight and Value, 1961-64 [Weight in metric tons ; value in thousands of dollars] ~ " ] ~ ~ Weight Value Item and pnnopa) suppher — — — T^n J^r. T^, 7^ 1964 616.3 West Germany United Kingdom Machinery for preparing and cultivating the s West Germany U.S.A Other agricultural r France U.S.A Poultry equipment . Table 29. — Imports of Heavy Construction Equipment, in Units, Weight, [Weight in metric tons ; value in thosuands of dollars] and Value, 1962-64 Cranes it^y^zzzzzzzzzz. Netherlands Clamshell buckets France U.S.A Mechanical conveyors France U.S.A Italy Frontend loaders, track . U.S.A Power shovels, mining Other loaders U.S.A France Motor (traders U.S.A France """ 7 "!"." 37 103 Mechanical shovels, construction. France U.S.A United Kingdom .. West Germany Other mining machin France U.S.A Screening machines .. Belgium Italy France Mills, rod and ball .. France Belgium Italy West Germany Belgium Batching plants France South Africa Crushers France Paving-breakers West Germany . Other trucks U.S.A All.', ui Log trailers and logging arches.... France West Germany U.S.A Denmark Pumps, mechanically operated .... France U.S.A Other pumps and compressors l|l36!3 1,942.0 1,646.9 188.6 449.0 232.7 212.2 759.6 547.3 32.7 662.4 651.4 6.9 1,098.0 873.5 3,389.8 2,768.6 189.0 180.0 2,943.3 2,477.6 167.3 180.4 5,849.0 4,791.8 383.7 355.1 1962-64. For further dis< >n, see Marches Tropicaux, Dec. 19, 1964, pp. 3104ff. Table 30. — Building Permits Issued in Abidjan, 1961-64 [Number of buildings ; area in thousands of square feet] Number of buildings 3 1,443 7 1,132 5 1,319.0 1,625 8 1,218 3 1,713.3 1 152 9 329 3 160.5 3 59 7 93 4 71.5 3 823 3 114 8 270.3 2 298 5 518.2 2 4,404 1 2,976 8 4,052.8 Source: Bulletin Mensuel de Statistique, Jan. 1964, and Jan. 1965, p. 4. Table 31. — Motor Vehicles Operating in the Ivory Coast, 1960-64 Vehicle Dec. 31, 1960 Dec. 31, 1961 Dec. 31, 1962 Dec. 31, 1963 1 Dec 31, 1964 s Passenger cars 11,454 15,526 18,953 22,000 28,074 Ordinary trucks 10,100 12,564 14,014 16,000 18,675 Buses 185 256 308 350 450 Special vehicles 215 269 314 450 580 Tractor trucks 729 1,112 1,280 1,600 2,000 Tow trucks 485 797 977 1,100 1,270 Total 23,168 30,474 35,846 41,500 51,197 1 1962 figures plus new registrations minus retirements. 2 Predictions by Marches Tropicaux, except actual figures for passenger cars, ordinary trucks, and total. Source: Situation Economique 1962. pp. 88f, and Marches Tropicaux, Feb. 20, 1965, p. 432 and June 5, 1965, pp. 1319f. orcyclcs, over 50 cubic cent meters Weight Value orcyclcs, 50 cubic centimete Number " ° r l6SS Value Source: Statistiques du Commerce Extir'u Manufacturing Food (and tobacco) 2 Est' ;:<'i.Sv<» ! Metal production, total . 2.17 79 1 Defined as f.o.b. value of exported merchandise plus wholesale value at the factory of merchandise produced for domestic consumption; not include building construction or construction materials nor production of enterprises having annual production below $20,000. a Does not include plantations, even if belonging to cannery. 3 Does not include quarrying, which is under construction materials. * Includes sawmills, furniture factories, etc., and not manufacturing of prefabricated houses, which come under c Source: Situation Economique 196S, p. 65. Table 34. — Value of Industrial Exports, 1960-63 [Millions of dollars] To Upper Volta, Mali and N i ger 1 Defined as f.o.b. value of exported merchandise plus wholesale value at the factory of merchandise produced for domestic consumption; lot include building construction or construction materials nor production of enterprises having annual production below $20,000. 2 Does not include plantations, even if belonging to cannery. 3 Does not include quarrying, which comes under construct 4 Includes sawmills, furniture factories, etc., but n Source: Situation Economique, 196S, p. 66. lufacturing of prefabricated houses, which comes under construction materials. Industrial consumption 2 186 Local sales 2 102 Exports 2 88 1 Leading species, in order of importance, were __, Spp.), Makore (Mimusops Heckelii), Aboudikrou (Entandrophagma Cylindricum) and Tia 2 In log equivalent (twice the volume of sawn lumber). 3 Estimates of exports to West African Customs Union plus actual exports to other countries. Source: EDIAFRIC Bulletin De L'Ajrique Noire, Paris, France, No. 378, June 30, 1965, pp. 7643ff. Import Nitrogenous fertilizers France Italy West Germany Phosphatic fertilizers France Belgium and Luxembourg Potassic fertilizers France West Germany Belgium and Luxembourg Other fertilizers France Insecticides — for retail sale France Belgium and Luxembourg United Kingdom Insecticides — others France West Germany Netherlands U.S.A 1 Less than 0.5. 2 Less than 0.05. Source: Statistiques du Commerc 101.2 179 8 3.3 66 8 21.2 6 4 124.5 163 7 70.6 70 4 53.9 48 7 507.3 898 673 9 65.7 83 8 10.2 28 5 58.0 229 5 58.0 213 9 222.0 236 7 202.4 222 2. 6 332!2 2. 273 6 222.0 220 1 2.0 28. 8 5.7 21. 2 ) 92.2 i J Item 19 Receipts, total Direct taxes Indirect taxes Customs duty 1 119 18 89 3 36 22 27 7 119 2 11 2 7 5 5 12 2 10 5 25 Kerosene 200.6 217.8 218.5 228.8 Gasoline 716.4 786.3 744.4 761.1 19 6 98 3 2 5 42 25 9 29 5 4 7 6 8 130 2 2 8 2 1 13 1 2 2 8 5 8 8 7 6 9 5 9 23 2 12 6 3 7 12 3 5 7 7 Export texes ^ 3 Registration, stamp taxes, etc Other Expenditures, total Public debt National representation Presidency Ministry of State Ministry of Justice Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Planning Interior and Information 1 Source was in metric tons. Conversion factor of 6.52 barrels per Source: Situation Economique 1962, p. 43; 1963, p. 43. 1 1 1 5 7 Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Public Works and Transport Ministry of National Education Ministry of Public Health 9 3 5 Ministry of Armed Forces, Civic Service. Youth.. 8 1 Reduced because of abolition of all customs duties (droits de douane) on imports from EEC countries effective December 1, 1964. Source: American Embassy, Abidjan. Table 39.— Rail Traffic, 1960-64 Passenger-kilometers 1,000 219,345 324 Freight Tonnage metric ton 553,303 740 Ton-kilometers 1,000 214,396 335 Source: Situation Economique 1962, pp. 83ff ; and Bulletin Mensuel de Statistiquc Table 40. — Oceangoing Ships Cleared Through Ivory Coast Ports, 1961-64 2,225 2,280 2,486 Source: Bulletin Mensuel de Statistiques, Jan. 1963 and Jan. 1965, p. 6. Table 41. — Air Traffic Through Abidjan and Bouake, 1962-64 Airport 1962 1963 1964 In Out In Out In Out Passengers . Freight Mail Bouake Aircraft Passengers . Freight Mail MARKET SERIES This publication is one of a series of market studies prepared by the Bureau of Interational Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce. These studies provide a current evaluation of the nature and scope of a country's market, describing the present import pattern, distribution facilities, and trade practices, and analyze the market for selected commodities. Other titles in the series include: D AFRICA: SALES FRONTIER FOR U.S. BUSINESS. 1963. 121 pp. $1. □ BELGIUM, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1963. 60 pp. 450. D HONG KONG, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1964. 122 pp. |1. D KUWAIT, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1963. 22 pp. 250. □ LIBERIA, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1965. 40 pp. 350. D LIBYA, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1962. 65 pp. 500. D MOROCCO, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1964. 64 pp. 400. D NIGERIA, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1964. 72 pp. 500. □ PERU, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1961. 62 pp. 400. □ PHILIPPINES, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1965. 76 pp. 550. D SAUDI ARABIA, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1962. 44 pp. 400. □ SUDAN, A MARKET FOR U.S. PRODUCTS. 1962. 47 pp. 400 Copies of these publications may be obtained from any Department of Commerce field office, or from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govern- ment Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. 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