Liberia Agriculture Sector Gets Private-Investment Boost as Agriculture Minister Concludes Discussions with MAINLAND GROUP in China
[Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China — January 25, 2026]: Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has concluded discussions with the Chairman and Members of the Board of Directors of the MAINLAND GROUP on the expansion of the Group’s investment in Liberia. The discussions were held as part of activities marking the Group’s Annual Gala 2026 held at the Grand Hyatt Changsha in Hunan Province, the People’s Republic of China. The event brought together senior government officials, business executives, and development stakeholders from across Asia and Africa to celebrate Mainland Group’s 25 years of achievement and global expansion.
In his address to the gathering, Dr. Nuetah congratulated Mainland Group for its transformation since its establishment in 2001 into a significant global player in agricultural value chain development, with operations spanning multiple continents. He reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to strengthening practical international partnerships that advance agricultural transformation, value addition, job creation, and inclusive economic growth. He highlighted the company’s role in enhancing agricultural trade and investment across Africa and Asia, and also underscored the importance of sustainability and responsible development that delivers measurable community impact.
Minister Nuetah also accentuated Mainland Group’s position as the fourth-largest natural rubber processing and trading enterprise in the world and praised its “One Body, Two Wings” development strategy, which combines production, value addition, investment, and international trade. He noted that this integrated approach aligns well with Liberia’s priorities as the country accelerates efforts to modernize its agricultural sector and build stronger value-chain development systems that can create jobs, improve incomes, and strengthen food systems.
Speaking about Liberia’s agricultural situation, Dr. Nuetah emphasized the country’s enormous potential, supported by fertile land, favorable weather, abundant rainfall, and a deeply rooted farming tradition. At the same time, he acknowledged that Liberia continues to export largely raw agricultural products while importing many key consumer goods, particularly rice, the nation’s staple food. He further pointed to opportunities for value addition in cassava, cocoa, and coffee, as well as the need to develop local processing capacity to retain more value within the Liberian economy.
“We grow cassava in abundance, but we must build the capacity to process it and unlock its full economic potential. We produce world-class cocoa and coffee, but too often we export the beans while others capture the value through processing and branding,” Minister Nuetah said.
The Minister described these gaps as opportunities for strategic partnerships and investment cooperation—particularly in agro-processing, market development, and greater competitiveness across key agricultural value chains. He welcomed Mainland Group’s planned investments in Liberia, especially the establishment of cassava-processing and rice-milling facilities, calling them timely interventions that can support Liberia’s national goals for agricultural transformation and sustainable growth.
Dr. Nuetah noted that Mainland Group’s investments represent more than infrastructure, as they are expected to create jobs, open markets for farmers, and strengthen value-chain development from production to processing and trade. He stressed that Liberia’s ambition is to shift from exporting raw commodities to a future in which agricultural products are increasingly processed locally, creating more opportunities for communities and improving economic independence.
“Your decision to invest in value addition of our cassava, cocoa, coffee, and rice value chains by building processing facilities in Liberia represents more than just capital and infrastructure; it represents confidence in our nation’s future,” he stated.
On the sidelines of the event, Dr. Nuetah met with the Mainland Group Board and its Chairman, Mr. Zhu Chen, who reaffirmed the company’s commitment to continuous investment in Liberia. Mr. Chen further pledged to expand the company’s investment scope in Liberia to include logistics and financial services, in addition to its investments in cassava processing and rice milling. The expanded investment package is expected to improve distribution systems and strengthen the efficiency of Liberia’s agrifood system.
In a related development, Minister Nuetah also held discussions in Changsha with Mr. Shen Yumou, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director General of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province of the People’s Republic of China, on possible trade cooperation between Hunan Province and Liberia. He also met with Madam Qian Lixia, Deputy Mayor of Changsha City, who is responsible for trade and investment with African countries, and both sides agreed to explore investment opportunities in the production and export of hot pepper from Liberia to China.
Minister Nuetah expressed Liberia’s readiness to work with investors and partners who want to invest in activities that support real growth that benefits our farmers and communities.
