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China-Africa Trade Information Service
http://info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Senegal imported nearly 1 million tons of wheat in 2025 as domestic consumption rose and the country expanded its flour-milling capacity. Higher demand for wheat now supports imports for both the local market and flour production for regional markets.
The country imported 982,106 tons of wheat in 2025, according to data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD) in its annual foreign trade report, published July 30, 2026. Imports rose 8.5% from 904,947 tons a year earlier. The increase marked a fifth consecutive year of growth since 2021, when Senegal imported 753,807 tons.
The ANSD report does not explain the increase, but higher consumption may have contributed to the broader trend. Wheat ranks as Senegal’s second-most consumed grain after rice, with strong demand particularly in urban areas.
Data from the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA) show that wheat consumption per person rose nearly 56% over about two decades, from 27 kilograms in 2002 to 42 kilograms in 2020.
Lower import prices may also have supported purchases. According to the ANSD, the average price of imported wheat fell nearly 36%, from CFA276 per kilogram, or about $0.50, in 2022 to CFA178 per kilogram.
A large share of these imports supplies Senegal's flour mills, which process wheat for bakeries and the food industry. Major operators include Grands Moulins de Dakar, Grands Moulins du Sahel, MS, FKS, NMA and Olam.
More Milling Capacity Could Support Import Growth
Senegal has continued to expand its flour-milling capacity. Moroccan industrial engineering company REMORA, which specializes in the installation and assembly of agro-industrial facilities, announced on February 27 that it had completed a new wheat flour mill in Senegal.
The company said on its website that the plant can process 500 tons of wheat per day. REMORA did not identify the project developer, but the new mill adds significant processing capacity to the industry. Senegal’s flour mills serve more than the domestic market. The country also exports part of its flour production to other markets in the subregion.
According to the ANSD, Senegal exported an average of 13,861 tons of soft wheat flour per year between 2020 and 2023. Shipments reached a peak of 29,249 tons in 2021. Export revenue averaged CFA3.86 billion per year over the same period and reached CFA7.7 billion in 2021.
Official figures, however, may not capture the full scale of regional trade. A large share of food trade within West Africa does not appear in customs statistics. In a 2025 report, the OECD’s Sahel and West Africa Club estimated that 84% of intra-regional cereal trade went unrecorded.
