Madar (Dakar) - Senegal will stop sugar imports again from November for a period of eight to nine months, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced on Saturday, October 17, 2026, in a statement carried by the Senegalese Press Agency (APS).
The ministry said sugar imports "had been suspended from November 2025 to August 2026" and that "the exact period will be adjusted according to trends in local production and the real needs of the market". Once the Compagnie Sucrière Sénégalaise (CSS) effectively resumes industrial activity, it will stop issuing food import declarations (DIPA).
The statement said it was offering "clarifications" on the national market regulation strategy "following the recent measures on opening sugar imports". The ministry reiterated the requirement to hold a security stock equal to one month of national consumption.
Current CSS stocks stand at around 30,000 tonnes, the ministry said, noting that the company had itself been granted import declarations to supplement its supply to the domestic market.
The minister said he was "fully aware" of the price gap between locally produced sugar and relatively cheaper imports, which complicates the transition and is being "closely monitored". "The objective is to protect household purchasing power while supporting local industry," the ministry said, praising the "constructive spirit" of talks with CSS management and unions and urging all players to act responsibly to keep the market supplied.
