Senegal To Seek Talks With India Over Rice Export Ban

exports of broken rice and imposed export duties on other rice, the president said late on Monday (26 September).

India and Pakistan are Senegal's two main suppliers of rice, a staple food for Senegalese. Senegal's rice production only meets half of that. India's ban could have serious implications for West and Central African countries, which rely on imports to make up the shortfall in domestic production. Although Senegal's rice production has increased from about 200,000 tonnes in 2007 to more than 1.2 million tonnes per year, it still needs to import more than 1 million tonnes of rice each year to meet its domestic demand of more than 2 million tonnes. West Africa is facing its worst ever food crisis this year, with millions of people going hungry due to poor harvests and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict making the region particularly vulnerable to rising food prices and shortages.