The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to suspend imports of sugar from November 2026, for eight to nine months. The measure will depend on domestic production and market needs, with a security stock set at one month of consumption.

Sugar imports will again be suspended in Senegal from November 2026, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Industry and Trade published on 17 October. This decision comes after a previous suspension applied from November 2025 to August 2026, followed by a reopening of imports to supplement the supply available on the domestic market.

The duration of the new measure, estimated between eight and nine months, will be adjusted according to the development of local production and demand.

The Ministry states that the cessation of declarations of imports of food products (DIPA) will take place as soon as the Senegalese Sugar Company (SSC) has resumed its industrial activities. The company currently has stocks estimated at about 30 000 tonnes, according to figures provided by the authorities.

It also benefited from import declarations to supplement its offer on the domestic market. The Government also recalls the need to maintain a security stock equivalent to one month of domestic consumption in order to limit the risk of supply disruption.

The decision comes in the context of a price difference between locally produced sugar and imported sugar, which is generally cheaper.

The department recognizes that this gap complicates the transition between the two sources of supply and indicates its progress. Regulation will thus have to reconcile support for national production with the preservation of consumer purchasing power, while ensuring the availability of the product on the market.

The Ministry also welcomed the exchanges with the CSS management and the social partners, calling on the actors in the sector to preserve the continuity of supply and a serene social climate.