Senegal mango exports rise 15% despite quality concerns
Late seasonal rains minimized pest-related disruptions, contributing to the season’s success.
SENEGAL – Senegal’s mango export season closed on July 26, with exporters reporting a 15% increase in total trade volume compared to the previous year, despite quality complaints from some international buyers regarding sizing and anthracnose.
According to Amadou Ndiaye Seck, manager of A.N.S Inter-Export and a board member of the Senegalese mango interprofession, the campaign faced some difficulties on the international market due to sizing and quality issues.
“There were natural blemishes on the fruit, and several importers complained about anthracnose. But overall, the campaign went well, thanks to close collaboration between the DPV (phytosanitary authority), the mango interprofession and COLEAD.”
Export volumes across all markets rose by around 15% compared to last season. “Exports to Europe exceeded 19 thousand tonnes, compared to 14 thousand tonnes last season,” Seck adds.
Additionally, Morocco provided stable pricing and efficient logistics despite regional competition from Mali and Côte d’Ivoire. “We achieved decent export volumes in Morocco too, even though Mali and Côte d’Ivoire flooded the Moroccan market. The campaign was particularly satisfactory on the Moroccan market, with good prices, no payment issues, and smooth clearance at the border,” Seck continues.
Seck highlights the compliance record on fruit fly controls as a particular point of success this season. “Above all, Senegal met the fruit fly challenge, even as shipments were under close scrutiny. There were no maritime interceptions, only one interception on air-freighted mangoes, two interceptions of mangoes carried in the personal luggage of two travellers, and one documentary interception,” he explains.
He tempers the achievement, however, pointing to favourable weather rather than pest management alone: “I would say that we were fortunate that the rains arrived late, which delayed the fly problem.” Late seasonal rains minimized pest-related disruptions, contributing to the season’s success.
The exporter also calls for greater consistency from Brussels on fruit fly quarantining enforcement: “The fly is well present in Europe and is found in European mangoes. We can only observe that the treatment of West African mangoes is too severe.”
Overall, the season reflects resilient growth driven by effective collaboration between agricultural authorities and trade professionals. Exporters celebrated these gains while calling for fairer enforcement of quarantine standards in Europe to better support West African trade.
Lastly, the industry’s ability to maintain compliance despite challenges demonstrates Senegal’s growing capacity as a reliable mango supplier to international markets.
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