Food supplies: Government decision on sugar takes effect in November

Senegal’s Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to suspend sugar imports from November for an estimated eight to nine months, aiming to promote local production while maintaining national supplies. The move follows the reopening of imports in July, and the suspension’s duration will depend on domestic production and consumer needs. The ministry also plans to end food-product import declarations once the Compagnie sucrière sénégalaise (CSS) resumes industrial operations. Authorities will maintain a safety stock equal to one month of national consumption; CSS reserves are estimated at about 30,000 tonnes, and the ministry is monitoring the price gap because imported sugar is currently cheaper.