The Minister of Trade and Industry has suspended onion and potato imports until local production has been sold. This embargo will remain until the end of the harvest and marketing season.
Taking such a measure has been a real relief for local producers who complained of foreign competition. This unique measure is the first of it’s kind in the country and is part of the effort to protect farmers interests and the national economy. Senegal has had restrictions on imported onions since 2012.
Some sellers on the Médina Coura market are not yet aware of the suspension of imported potatoes and onions and do not have either of these vegetables on their shelves. When asked why they do not sell these products they reply that they have not received stock for a few days. Due to lack of sales, locally produced onion and potatoes were rotting. For some lucky producers, some quantities were exported to Guinea.
The producers will be even happier when the ban on imported products increases to include other fruits, such as oranges and bananas, over harvest period.