Senegal boosts local maize sector with 5,000-ton purchase deal to cut imports
The renewed focus on local maize production stems from the government’s intent to reduce reliance on imports from countries like Argentina and Brazil.
SENEGAL – Senegal’s agro-industrial companies committed in mid-February 2025 to purchasing 5,000 tonnes of locally produced maize this year in a strategic move to bolster domestic agriculture.
This agreement, formalized through a memorandum of understanding, aims to enhance the marketing and consumption of domestically grown maize, marking a significant step towards revitalizing a sector that has yet to reach its full potential.
While rice remains the primary staple in Senegalese households, maize holds a crucial position in the country’s cereal consumption.
According to a 2021 study by the Agricultural and Rural Prospective Initiative (IPAR), maize is the third most consumed cereal per capita, following rice and millet, with an annual consumption of 9.2 kilograms, predominantly in rural areas of the southern Peanut Basin and eastern regions.
Production-wise, maize also ranks third, with the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD) reporting a yield of 855,000 tonnes in the 2023/2024 season.
The renewed focus on local maize production stems from the government’s intent to reduce reliance on imports from countries like Argentina and Brazil.
The burgeoning poultry industry, which has flourished since the 2005 ban on poultry meat imports, has significantly increased domestic maize demand, as it is a key component in animal feed.
However, local production has struggled to meet this demand, leading to a surge in imports. ANSD data indicates that maize imports have more than tripled over the past decade, rising from 132,429 tonnes in 2013 to 430,863 tonnes in 2023, with the import value escalating from 21.8 billion CFA francs (US$36.2 million) to 82.5 billion CFA francs (US$137.2 million).
The animal feed industry, dominated by companies such as Sedima, FKS Mills, NMA Sanders, and Olam, which acquired Avisen Sarl for €17 million in March 2024,produces approximately 300,000 tonnes annually, according to the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
To address these challenges and capitalize on the growing demand, the government has implemented several support measures.
Under the recent agreement, manufacturers have pledged to pay 225 CFA francs (US$0.37) per kilogram of locally sourced maize, compared to 198 CFA francs (US$0.33) for imported maize, aiming to increase local supply volumes to 10,000 tonnes by 2026.
Beyond pricing incentives, efforts are underway to boost productivity. In the 2023/2024 season, maize yields increased by 8% year-on-year to 3 tonnes per hectare, the second-highest increase in the cereal sector.
However, this productivity still lags behind major suppliers like Brazil and Argentina, where yields range from 5 to 8 tonnes per hectare, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
To bridge this gap, the government plans to introduce hybrid seeds and enhance support for producers to improve yields.
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