The total production of cereal crops in Senegal decreased by 24.4% at the end of the 2024-2025 agricultural season compared to the 2023-2024 agricultural season, according to data from the Directorate of Analysis, Forecasting and Agricultural Statistics (DAPSA) based in Dakar.
The provisional results of the 2024-2025 agricultural season established by DAPSA indicate a production of 2,310,018 tonnes compared to 3,056,139 tonnes for the 2023-2024 agricultural season, representing a difference of 746,121 tonnes in absolute value. These cereal crops occupied less cultivated area compared to the 2023-2024 season, amounting to 1,173,356 hectares against 1,440,821 hectares, a decrease of 18.6%.
DAPSA data indicates a decrease in the production of the five cereal crops in Senegal.
Rice production decreased by 10.7% compared to the 2023-2024 agricultural season, with a realization of 946,209 tonnes against 1,059,461 tonnes. According to DAPSA, these data concern all types of rice crops: irrigated, rainfed, and off-season. Rice crops covered less area during the 2024-2025 agricultural season with 239,977 hectares compared to 281,229 hectares in the 2023-2024 season. However, there was an increase in yield per hectare, which stood at 3,943 kg compared to 3,767 kg in the 2023-2024 season.
As for millet production, it recorded a decrease of 12.7% to 675,910 tonnes against 773,990 tonnes for the 2023-2024 agricultural season. The yield per hectare also decreased by 13 kg, dropping from 1,072 kg in 2023-2024 to 1,059 kg a year later. The cultivated area also decreased to 638,381 hectares from 722,088 hectares in the 2023-2024 agricultural season.
Maize production experienced a contraction of 12.7% to 495,571 tonnes against 567,664 tonnes at the end of the 2023-2024 season. The yield per hectare also decreased by 291 kg, from 3,296 kg in 2023-2024 to 3,005 kg during the period under review. The cultivated area also decreased by 4.3% to 164,906 hectares from 172,240 hectares for the 2023-2024 season.
Regarding sorghum cultivation, its production decreased by 5.3% with a realization of 186,054 tonnes against 196,529 tonnes in the 2023-2024 season. However, the yield per hectare increased by 14% for this staple crop, reaching 1,507 kg compared to 1,322 kg in 2023-2024. Sorghum occupied less cultivated area during the period under review, with only 123,446 hectares compared to 148,613 hectares for the 2023-2024 season (-17%).
Finally, fonio production recorded a significant decrease of 33.1%, amounting to 6,275 tonnes against 9,382 tonnes in the 2023-2024 season. The yield per hectare also decreased by 20%, dropping from 1,177 kg in 2023-2024 to 944 kg during the period under review. The cultivated area also decreased by 17% to 6,647 hectares from 7,971 hectares at the end of the 2023-2024 agricultural season.
