Senegal’s peanut oil exports reach six-year high of 22,441 tonnes in 2025
The surge reflects Senegal‘s policy shift toward favouring local processing of groundnuts, which has coincided with a sharp decline in raw peanut exports as more of the crop is crushed domestically into oil.
SENEGAL – Senegal exported 22,441 tonnes of crude peanut oil in 2025, the highest volume in six years, according to data compiled by the National Agency for Statistics and Demography in its latest annual report on foreign trade published on July 30.
According to official trade data from Senegal’s National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), the record performance reflects a significant rebound in domestic agro-processing following concerted government policy shifts aimed at strengthening local value addition and expanding industrial crushing capacity.
The volume was nearly three times the 5,997 tons shipped a year earlier, according to data compiled by the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD). It was also the largest volume exported since 2019, when shipments reached 62,846 tons. Export revenue also nearly tripled to CFA20.52 billion (about US$36 million).
The surge in crude groundnut oil shipments highlights the initial success of state interventions designed to revitalize domestic industrial oil mills, including the state-backed National Company for the Commercialization of Oilseeds of Senegal (Sonacos).
Historically, a large proportion of Senegal’s annual groundnut crop was exported as raw, unprocessed nuts, particularly to Asian markets.
However, recent regulatory measures, including temporary suspensions on raw peanut exports during key collection periods, were implemented to prioritize domestic crushers, ensure sufficient raw material supplies for local processing units, and capture higher profit margins from value-added oil and oilcake derivatives.
Peanuts remain a foundational pillar of Senegal’s agricultural economy, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers while providing raw input for both domestic food security and international trade.
By processing a larger share of the harvest domestically, local crushing facilities have been able to ramp up industrial output, supplying refined oil to local consumer markets while channeling surplus crude peanut oil into lucrative export avenues across Europe, North America, and regional West African markets.
Despite the strong export volume reported by the ANSD, sector analysts emphasize that maintaining this upward trajectory will depend on sustained crop yields, modernized farm infrastructure, and favorable international commodity pricing.
Agriculture authorities have recently introduced measures to support growers facing fluctuating harvests, such as adjusting export duties during bumper crop cycles and improving access to high-quality seed varieties and fertilizers.
Looking ahead, Senegalese trade officials view the 2025 export landmark as a crucial stepping stone toward broader agricultural industrialization.
By continuing to shift the country’s trade balance from low-value raw commodities toward fully processed agricultural products, Senegal aims to create sustainable industrial jobs, protect domestic agribusiness against external market volatility, and solidify its position as a primary supplier of high-grade groundnut oil in the global market.
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