In Senegal, like in much of Africa, most fruit production is for local consumption. However, the country's banana industry is growing in importance, with ambitions of achieving self-sufficiency.

Senegal's banana production reached 105,000 tons in 2025, according to data from the Market Regulation Agency. Despite being 7% short of the  112,500 tons that authorities had forecast, it marks a nearly 40% increase over the previous year.

This performance positions Senegal to become the third-largest banana producer in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, behind Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, and confirms a period of growth for the sector.

Spectacular Growth

From 2018 to 2022, Senegal's average banana harvest was 34,500 tons, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography. In 2023, that number nearly doubled to 74,776 tons. While a target of 90,000 tons was set for 2024, industry insiders say that flooding caused production to stagnate that year before resuming its upward trend to surpass 100,000 tons this year.

The Tambacounda region accounts for 80% of Senegal’s banana output, with support from production hubs in Kolda, Sédhiou, and Niandane.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this increase is a result of efforts from producers within the National Institute for Rural Development Support and the Regional Collective of Banana Producers of Tambacounda. The growth also stems from significant investment projects in the sector, most notably the Banana Value Chain Aggregation Project.

Launched in 2021, the five-year project was a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, the company Id Bio SA, and the Regional Collective of Banana Producers of Tambacounda. With a total cost of 6.7 billion CFA francs, or $11.8 million, the project aimed to improve production by offering technical support to 8,250 producers across 23 cooperatives. It also sought to streamline the pooling of production resources and facilitate access to financing and insurance. The project’s goal was to close the production gap, as annual demand is estimated at nearly 130,000 tons, by expanding cultivated areas and optimizing market access.

Self-Sufficiency in Sight

"If the trend continues, we will be able to meet nearly 80% of our needs as early as 2025, and cross the 90% threshold by reducing post-harvest losses," Agriculture Minister Mabouba Diagne said in a July 7 statement.

Yaya Mamadou Sall, president of the Regional Collective of Banana Producers of Tambacounda, was more optimistic, telling the local outlet Seneweb in May that with collective mobilization, banana self-sufficiency could be achieved by 2027.

However, sustaining production growth to meet domestic demand is only part of the challenge. The local industry must also become more competitive against imports, particularly from Côte d’Ivoire, Africa’s leading banana exporter.

According to data compiled on the Trade Map platform, Senegal imported 16,341 tons of bananas worth $6.7 million in 2024. Nearly 98% of those came from Côte d’Ivoire, with the rest from Ghana.

Observers say local bananas are less popular because of their smaller size, limited shelf life, less appealing taste, and seasonal availability. In contrast, Ivorian bananas are seen as more attractive, longer-lasting, and available year-round.

The Market Regulation Agency announced on July 21 its intention to freeze imports from September to December this year to strengthen the Senegalese sector and promote local production. The success of this measure could lead to its renewal in future years. The conquest of the domestic market will depend on producers’ ability to meet demand and regain consumer trust in the face of established regional competition.

Stéphanas Assocle