Senegal's peanut production is projected to plummet to 731,000 tons for the 2024/2025 season. This represents a steep 54% decline from the previous year, according to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released on June 30.
Although the report does not detail the specific reasons for this grim forecast, several contributing factors have been identified. Sidy Ba of the Agricultural Producers' Dialogue Framework (CCPA) warned of a critical rainfall deficit that occurred between August and September 2024. This period is crucial for crop development, and his remarks came a few months after the season began last December.
Other industry voices have highlighted the "poor quality" of seeds and fertilizers distributed by the government. The USDA also indicated that the harvested area shrank by 35.4% year-on-year to 810,000 hectares. Average yields are expected to fall by 32% to just 0.9 tons per hectare.
These disappointing figures will likely further restrict export volumes. The season was also marked by a five-month export ban, which aimed to ensure sufficient supply for domestic oil mills.
While final results for the 2024/2025 campaign are still pending, industry stakeholders are looking ahead with cautious optimism. The USDA forecasts a production rebound in the 2025/2026 season. This expected recovery is attributed to a record government budget allocated for agricultural support and more favorable weather conditions.
Peanuts continue to be Senegal's leading agricultural export and a vital source of foreign exchange for the sector.
Written in French by Stéphanas Assocle,
Translated and Adapted into English by Mouka Mezonlin
Lebara Group is now bringing its affordable and reliable mobile services to Africa, starting with Ni...
• Maritime sector faces renewed risks amid military tensions in the Middle East• Blockade fears at S...
• Gates Foundation commits $1.6 billion over five years to Gavi.• Bill Gates warns of rising ch...
In a West African financial landscape marked by tighter regulation of the fintech sector, digital fi...
Transport and food prices have been climbing steadily across Africa in recent years. In Côte d’Ivoir...
• Mercedes Trucks signs agreement with Senegal to build a truck and commercial vehicle assembly plant.• The project will create hundreds of jobs...
• Fily Sissoko will oversee a $8.5 billion World Bank portfolio spanning Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros, and Seychelles.• His mission...
• Ghana launches NAIMOS as the central authority to combat illegal mining activities nationwide.• The secretariat’s mandate includes environmental...
• Two major Nigerian universities to host innovative training programs focused on leadership, innovation, and sustainability.• 200 students and teachers...
In northern Ethiopia, in the Tigray region, lies Axum (also spelled Aksum), an ancient city that once stood at the heart of one of Africa’s most powerful...
Lake Natron, located in northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border, is one of the most extraordinary and extreme lakes in Africa. Fed primarily by the Ewaso...