The price of onions is currently shaking the market and Senegalese households. Housewives complain about the current surge, which means that with the approach of the holidays, such an indispensable product reaches prohibitive price levels. What is even more incomprehensible is that when it comes to the product in question, Senegal has already achieved self-sufficiency. Today, Senegalese housewives shed tears because of the onion, but it is because the product has become expensive and hard to find, in a country that prides itself on being one of the largest African producers.

The kilo of onion is currently, in some markets of the capital, at 1500 CFA francs. Since last year, this food product, essential to Senegalese cuisine, has experienced increases considered by some to be prohibitive. We have gone from 5,000 CFA francs per 50 kg bag to 25,000 currently, passing through 7,000, 11,000 and 19,500 francs. All in less than a year. Last year, at the same time, national opinion was scandalized by the information that in Touba, a bag of onions was sold for 50,000 CFA francs. At the rate at which the prices of this commodity are changing, many housewives say they are not surprised if tomorrow the same amount is asked of them in cities like Dakar.

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For many local observers, as well as consumers, Senegalese producers are still taking advantage of the import ban period to increase prices. Senegalese producers, for their part, point to the weakness of their margins for Dakar. For many local observers, as well as consumers, Senegalese producers are still taking advantage of the import ban period to increase prices. Senegalese producers, for their part, point to their low margins in an attempt to maximize their profits as quickly as possible. And above all, the lack of support from the public authorities. The Market Regulation Agency argues that it offers Senegalese horticulturists significant favours to enable them to develop the sector and thus enable the country to put an end to imports, which are very costly in foreign currency.

The Senegalese onion is mainly planted in the Niayes area and in the Senegal River valley, two areas that have favourable conditions for growing this crop. Studies have made it possible to develop varieties that can be grown in both hot and cold seasons. The support of the public authorities and the enthusiasm around the consumption of the product have meant that, since around 2004, Senegal has been able to exceed 200,000 tonnes of production. This almost corresponds to the quantity consumed locally. The problem is that year after year, half of the production is lost, for lack of compliance with cultural standards, and above all because of insufficient conservation capacity.

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If the onion from Senegal has experienced this strong increase, it is primarily due to demand. Compliance with crop standards has promoted quality and attracted housewives. As a result, Arm figures indicate that from 2006 to 2013, for example, consumption fell from 6 kg of onions per person to 13 kg. The producers of Niayes and the valley, who complained of having to face competition from imports, mainly from Holland, were able to impose on the public authorities to close the borders to these products, to allow them to sell their products. Nevertheless, the local onion has long suffered from a lack of respect for cultural standards, which means that the State cannot definitively stop imports.

Producers have always asked the State to support them in increasing storage capacity. Unfortunately, the conservation sheds are not progressing at the rate they should. And above all, some specialists point out that we cannot keep products of lesser quality to please local producers. The State therefore needs, for the moment, to increase the storage capacities of the National Interest Market to enable it to keep more than the 4,000 tonnes at present. But above all, the regulatory authority must give itself the means to supervise the sector, from cultivation to harvest, to ensure compliance with the quality of the product and be able to impose, over time, a Senegalese quality label for onions.

For the moment, the onion in Senegal represents around 40 billion CFA francs in turnover. Well supervised and with good regulation, this amount could easily be doubled, if not more. Such a fortune should not be managed haphazardly and at the mercy of speculators.

By Mohamed GUEYE / mgueye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH