Senegal expands horticultural storage with new 15,000T facility

SENEGAL – Mabouba Diagne, Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, has inaugurated a 15,000-tonne cold storage facility built by agri-food company SWAMI AGRI.

This latest investment increases the company’s total storage capacity for horticultural products in the country to 105,000 tonnes.

“This cold room is part of a strategic vision aimed at ensuring continuous availability of potatoes and onions throughout the year, while supporting small local producers,” reads a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Senegal loses between 60% and 70% of its fruit and vegetable production each year due to a lack of proper processing and preservation infrastructure. Authorities believe this new facility will help reduce these losses and stabilize the market.

While the exact cost of the investment has not been disclosed, officials emphasize its role in strengthening local supply chains and ensuring farmers have a reliable outlet for their produce.

Increased storage capacity is expected to have a positive effect on prices and food security, benefiting both producers and consumers. “This investment will contribute to reducing post-harvest losses in the horticultural industry,” authorities stated.

The private sector’s involvement in post-harvest solutions is becoming increasingly significant in Senegal’s agricultural landscape.

SWAMI AGRI, which has operated in the country since 2007, has also announced plans to invest 35.7 billion CFA francs (US$59.2 million) in constructing seven additional cold storage units across the country in the coming years.

These storage units will play a key role in maintaining a stable supply of staple vegetables such as onions and potatoes, which together accounted for 46% of Senegal’s total vegetable harvest between 2019 and 2023, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD).

Onion processing facility enhances market stability

The expansion of storage capacity aligns with other recent efforts to strengthen Senegal’s horticultural sector. On February 26, the African Ingredients Company (SAF Ingrédients) completed the construction of an onion dehydration plant in Ross Béthio.

This facility, valued at 22 billion CFA francs (US$35.4 million), is the first of its kind in Senegal and across the African continent.

According to Assane Seck, the project’s promoter, the plant has an annual processing capacity of 50,000 tonnes of onions, producing 4,000 tonnes of dehydrated onion powder and strips for both local consumption and export.

The facility relies on a network of 15,000 local producers, offering them a more secure market for their crops.

“This investment by SAF Ingrédients should also help reduce post-harvest losses associated with the onion industry in Senegal,” the Ministry of Agriculture noted.

Onion production in Senegal averaged 429,258 tonnes between 2019 and 2023, with the majority cultivated in the Niayes region and the Senegal River Valley. However, up to 30% of these onions are lost annually due to inadequate storage infrastructure.

With these new facilities, Senegal’s horticultural sector is gaining much-needed support to address post-harvest challenges, stabilize supply chains, and strengthen food security.

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