Senegalese onion producers implore Diomaye Faye to regulate market

• Onion producers in Ngomène, Senegal, have appealed to President Diomaye Faye to regulate the market due to a crisis threatening their crops and repayment of loans.
• The producers blame Babacar Sembène, director general of ARM, for not respecting his commitments and causing market disruptions.
• Thousands of tons of onions are at risk due to heavy rains, and commercialization is paralyzed due to halted orders from merchants.
• Lawyers advising clients on onion imports or exports should be aware of potential regulatory changes impacting supply chains and compliance obligations.

The producers fear that thousands of tons of onions will be lost due to the heavy rains, and they demand immediate measures to prevent this loss.

Thousands of tons of onions are at risk due to heavy rains, and onion producers in Ngomène, a region in Thiès, have issued an urgent appeal to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The producers, who store their harvests in open-air facilities, claim that the market crisis is threatening their crops and repayment of loans. According to Sanslimitesn, the producers directly blame Babacar Sembène, the director general of the Agence de régulation des marchés (ARM), for not respecting his commitments after stating that national production could meet demand. The decisions made by ARM have led to a halt in orders from many merchants, and the producers contest claims that they refused to sell at agreed prices, calling it 'false information'. This is not the first time these producers have raised concerns about market disruptions; last July, before the Magal de Touba festival, they alerted authorities about undersold stocks and requested closure of the market to large-scale producers. The ARM had then suspended the sale of agro-industrial exploitations, but lifting this suspension has reignited fears.

The situation highlights the need for effective regulation in Senegal's agricultural market. Lawyers advising clients on onion imports or exports to/from Senegal should be aware of potential market disruptions and regulatory changes, which may impact supply chains and compliance obligations. The producers' demands include better market regulation, acceleration of storage chamber projects, and dialogue with all stakeholders. They also call for the departure of Babacar Sembène from his position at ARM, citing loss of confidence in him. The ongoing rains pose a significant threat to thousands of tons of onions, and the commercialization process is paralyzed due to halted orders from merchants.

The market crisis has severe implications for onion producers in Senegal. The producers' concerns about market disruptions are not new, and the current situation underscores the need for urgent action to address these issues. The ARM's decisions have led to a halt in orders from merchants, paralyzing commercialization. The producers fear that thousands of tons of onions will be lost due to the heavy rains, and they demand immediate measures to prevent this loss. Better market regulation, acceleration of storage chamber projects, and dialogue with all stakeholders are essential to address the crisis and ensure the sustainability of onion production in Senegal.

Lawyers advising clients on onion imports or exports to/from Senegal should be aware of the potential for market disruptions and regulatory changes, which may impact supply chains and compliance obligations.

Source: Original reporting via Des milliers de tonnes d’oignons menacés par les pluies : les cultivateurs de Ngomène implorent Diomaye Faye