Senegal requests special protective measures for onion production

The president of Senegal, Macky Sall, has asked that the onion market be reorganised according to a special protective measure for the agriculture, which has been decided by the WTO. This way the onion sector can meet the lands annual needs, which have been estimated at around 240,000 tonnes.

Sall emphasised the importance of the self-sufficiency of the country in the area of food production. The onion sector can meet the total demand of the country, but the onions can't be sold because the market is flooded with imported onions that are cheaper. The special protective measures for the agriculture could protect the onion sector against a strong, competitive competition pressure because the country can then increase it's customs rights in case of a massive increase in import.

The president has also asked for an effective season management to better protect the national production. He has also demanded that the producers use more preservation techniques.

The national unions of traders and manufacturers in Senegal (UNACOIS) signed an agreement at the end of April this year to buy the entire local onion production. The treaty was made with the interprofessional onion growers with as it's goal to lower the price. The prices agreed upon vary from 0.42€/kg at the farm to 0.50€/kg on the market. Like the treaty says, the onions that have been produced in Niayes and in the valley of the river the Senegal are 0.33€/kg.