FEWS NET Haiti Staple Food Market Fundamentals 2018
Summary — This FEWS NET report analyzes the staple food markets in Haiti, focusing on rice, maize, sorghum, wheat, pulses, tubers, bananas, and edible oil. It examines domestic production, imports, trade, and consumption patterns, highlighting the country's reliance on imports and vulnerability to climate-related shocks.
Key Findings
- Haiti is structurally deficit in rice, its most relevant staple.
- Haiti is fully dependent on imports of wheat and edible oil.
- Crop production in Haiti is mostly rainfed, making agriculture highly vulnerable to climatic events.
- The United States and the Dominican Republic are Haiti’s main trade partners for cereals and pulses.
- Transport costs capture a large share of transaction costs along the chain.
Full Description
This FEWS NET Market Fundamentals report provides an analysis of the staple food markets in Haiti, including rice, maize, sorghum, wheat, pulses (beans and peas), tubers (yams, cassava, sweet potato), bananas (plantains), and edible oil. The study is based on desk research, fieldwork in all 10 departments, and stakeholder consultations. It examines domestic food supply and demand, international trade, cross-cutting issues like agroecology and macroeconomics, and the structure and performance of the marketing systems for each staple food. The report highlights Haiti's dependence on imports, vulnerability to climate events, and the role of various actors in the food supply chain.