Official distributor of Uralchem and Uralkali
mineral fertilizers in Africa
Senegal is the world’s leading exporter of peanut oil which is second only to the export of fish products and well in front of cotton. The most important agricultural activity in Senegal is peanut production. The agricultural sector occupies the largest percentage of the population. It is a key sector and a lever in sustaining growth in the economy, assuring reliable food supplies, keeping up employment and reducing poverty. It is considered a key sector by the Senegalese government and one which they are very anxious to expand. There are a number of factors that make the country a very attractive proposition for those intending to invest in agriculture and/or associated processing industries. On one hand, the climate is ideal for out-of- season supplies to the European market. On another, the local market is expanding steadily as increased urbanisation sucks population from the countryside into the cities and towns which makes it a viable proposition to substitute those goods which have, until now, been imported for local produce. A further element to be factored in are the excellent sea and air communications with the principal markets in Europe.
Most agricultural production is concentrated in the valleys, estuaries and deltas of the main rivers of the country. The Senegal River which is the northern border with Mauritania and the Casamance River in the strip between Guinea Bissau and Gambia in the south.
Most agricultural production is concentrated in the valleys, estuaries and deltas of the main rivers of the country. The Senegal River which is the northern border with Mauritania and the Casamance River in the strip between Guinea Bissau and Gambia in the south.
The climate of Senegal is tropical, with a long dry season and a rainy season due to the African monsoon, which in summer moves from south to north; hence, in the south the annual rainfall is more abundant and is between 600 and 1,500 millimeters per year, while in the north and the center, which is part of the Sahel, the rainfall is below 600 mm.
Millet, rice, maize and sorghum are key agricultural products in Senegal. Peanut, cane and cotton – important cash crops, fruits and vegetables primarily for domestic and external market. There is very little industrial agriculture which is, practically, limited to peanuts, sugar and cotton with industrialised tomato bringing up the rear. The main crop is the peanut which is cultivated in the central and eastern regions of the country. Apart from its economic relevance, peanut farming plays a considerable social role in Senegal. Seven out of ten farmers produce peanuts and it is calculated that one third of the population relies, directly or indirectly, on this crop. Other crops include drought-resistant cereals such as millet and sorghum in the central and northern regions and a certain amount of rice in the river basins, but the country remains import dependant as far as rice is concerned.
