Dried shelled legumes market in Gambia

Earlier Report Observations

The market for dried shelled legumes in Gambia opened the period at 7 789 t in 2018, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture's policies which included customs duty exemptions for agricultural products and the country's irrigation potential from the Gambia River. A sharp contraction followed in 2019, bringing the market volume down to 4 999 t. It rebounded to 6 904 t in 2020, a recovery primarily driven by global supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which constrained imports and amplified the role of local production, reinforced by government support measures for domestic growers.

After declining to 5 894 t in 2021, the market saw a modest increase to 6 038 t in 2022. This growth coincided with the entry of new players specializing in processing and marketing, alongside implemented policies improving market access for local producers. The market volume then eased to 5 708 t in 2023.

Production dried shelled legumes in Gambia

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of dried shelled legumes, 2017-2020

World map of production of dried shelled legumes, 2017-2020

In 2020, Gambia produced 6 656 tonnes of dried shelled legumes, marking a 46.4% increase from the previous year. Looking at the period from 2017 to 2020, production grew by 3.5% overall, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 1.2%. The lowest production level was recorded in 2019 at 4 547 tonnes, while the highest was in 2018 with 7 628 tonnes. The most significant drop occurred in 2019, when production fell by 40.4%.

Annual dynamics of production in Gambia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports dried shelled legumes from Gambia

According to industry reports, Gambia did not export any dried shelled legumes between 2017 and 2020.

Imports dried shelled legumes to Gambia

Imports in kind, t

The market for imports showed an unstable pattern over this period. The lowest import volume was in 2017, while the peak was reached in 2019, with a sevenfold difference between these two years. In 2020, Gambia imported 248.1 tonnes of dried shelled legumes, which represents a 45.2% decrease compared to the previous year. The maximum import volume was recorded in 2019 at 452.8 tonnes, and the largest increase occurred that same year, with imports surging by 180.9%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Gambia in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, three key markets—Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands—collectively made up 54.6% of Gambia's total imports of dried shelled legumes by volume.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Gambia in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, $ US

Market performance displayed significant fluctuations during this timeframe. Import volumes reached their lowest point in 2017 and peaked in 2019, with the highest volume being 8.7 times greater than the lowest. In 2020, Gambia imported dried shelled legumes worth 58 039 US dollars, indicating a sharp decline of 41.2% from 2019. The maximum value was recorded in 2019 at 98 689 US dollars, and the largest increase also occurred in 2019, with a jump of 212.8%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Gambia in value, 2017-2020, $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, the United Kingdom (accounting for 23.2% of import value), Argentina (19.8%), and the Netherlands (14.6%) were the primary sources for imports in value terms. Together, these three countries represented 57.6% of total import flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Gambia in value, 2017-2020