By Biran Gaye
The Malian government has suspended the export of several essential agricultural products, marking a significant development that seeks to promote local industries.
According to reports, these agricultural products include shea nuts, peanuts, soybeans and sesame. This suspension, introduced by an inter-ministerial decree on October 3, 2024, aims to limit the export of these products from the West African country to encourage their processing on site.
According to the regulation, the products seized from the offenders will be sold to local industries for processing. This move aims to strengthen the added value of agricultural resources in Mali.
Signed by the Ministers of Economy and Finance and Industry and Trade, reports say this decree takes effect immediately but the duration of the suspension is not specified. This initiative is believed to be part of a strategy aimed at maximizing the economic benefits of these resources for the country through the promotion of local industry and job creation. This is believed to be part of several efforts to bring economic independence in the country.
Mali is a major producer of shea, mainly focused on exporting raw almonds to Europe. Its annual peanut production is around 700,000 tonnes, but local processing remains low, with limited yields and unstable prices.
Although soybeans are booming and have strong growth potential, their processing in Mali is still underdeveloped. Before Mali, Burkina Faso had also decided on 18 September to suspend the export of shea almonds to promote the development of the national industry.
Agricultural production in Mali is largely dominated by cotton and grains, including rice, corn, millet, sorghum, and wheat. Many agricultural sub-sectors, such as shea butter, mangoes, peanuts, cashews, and biofuels, remain largely underexploited and provide a unique opportunity for investors. Significant opportunities also exist in modernizing Mali’s poultry and livestock production and transformation sectors.
There are opportunities in agricultural machinery, fertilizers, agribusiness, farming, irrigation tools, livestock, poultry, and animal feed. The government’s aim to modernize and equip the agricultural sector may also provide business opportunities. Mali’s food processing sector is small but growing, with the potential for a new market in related equipment and services.
