Senegal: Import ban comes into force again
(AMI) - As in other years, Senegal again imposed an import ban on onions in January 2022. This interrupted the export season of the Netherlands to the West African country until the end of the harvest and storage season there in August. This is the case every year.
Senegal was once again the most important export destination for Dutch onions in the 2020/21 season. In total, Senegal imported about 177,000 t of onions in 2020. Imports have recently tended to rise again - after the sharp decline in 2018. In 2021, however, the import season got off to a slow start, as there were still large stocks available in Senegal. According to Trade Data Monitor Senegal imported 156,000 t of onions 2021. Again, the Netherlands were by far most important delivering country.
Onion production in Senegal has increased significantly in recent years. While 210,000 tons were harvested in 2012, production increased to 412,000 tons by 2020. However, the production of stable qualities or the maintenance of quality is a problem in Senegal. In a meeting organised by the Ministry of Agriculture to plan the 2021/22 onion season, the need to create solutions for suitable storage infrastructure was underlined again. In addition, production planning is being sought and subsidies are being provided for this. Improvements are also needed in the sector of seeds. But these discussions are not new, and it remains to be seen to what extent improvements will be made in the short term.
(February 11, 2022)