Dried shelled legumes market in Sierra Leone

Earlier Report Observations

The market volume for dried shelled legumes in Sierra Leone grew consistently from 159.2 thousand tons in 2018 to 167.8 thousand tons in 2023. This upward trend was initiated by substantial government support for agriculture, including incentives, subsidies, and infrastructure investments, coupled with EU-funded projects like the Boosting Agriculture and Food Security program aimed at enhancing crop production and food security.

Continued market expansion was driven by the adoption of intercropping techniques that improved farm productivity and sustainability, along with regional innovation projects for pest control that protected leguminous vegetable yields. The launch of the Feed Salone initiative in 2023 further intensified efforts to boost agricultural productivity and reduce import dependence, directly supporting domestic production growth.

In 2024, the Government of Sierra Leone and the EU signed a financing agreement under the Nature Nourishes Programme to provide budget support for agricultural reforms, indicating ongoing institutional commitment to strengthening the sector's foundation.

Production dried shelled legumes in Sierra Leone

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of dried shelled legumes, 2017-2020

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

Sierra Leone's production of dried shelled legumes grew for the third year in a row. In 2020, the country produced 162 303 tonnes, marking a 1.7% year-over-year increase. From 2017 to 2020, production rose by 2.2%, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 0.7%.

Annual dynamics of production in Sierra Leone in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports dried shelled legumes from Sierra Leone

Exports in kind, t

Sierra Leone's exports of dried shelled legumes increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, exports reached 26.4 tonnes, showing a significant 36.0% rise compared to the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, exports surged by 1 218%, with a compound annual growth rate of 136.2%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Sierra Leone in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, the United Kingdom was the leading destination for Sierra Leone's exports in volume, accounting for 73.5% of total shipments. Other markets made up the remainder, with many smaller partners contributing to the total.

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

World map of product's exports from Sierra Leone in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The market showed considerable volatility during these years. Exports in value terms peaked in 2018 at 28.8 thousand US dollars and then declined. In 2020, Sierra Leone exported 26.7 thousand US dollars worth of dried shelled legumes, which was 9.2% higher than the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2019, with a drop of 14.8%, while the most significant increase was in 2018, soaring by 264 003.3%. The difference between the high in 2018 and the low in 2017 was 2 641 times.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Sierra Leone in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands were the main buyers of dried shelled legumes from Sierra Leone in value terms, together representing 99.9% of total exports.

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

World map of product's exports from Sierra Leone in value, 2017-2020

Imports dried shelled legumes to Sierra Leone

Imports in kind, t

Import volumes showed an unstable trend over this period. In 2019, imports peaked at 781.2 tonnes, but fell to a low of 86.7 tonnes in 2018, a nine-fold difference. In 2020, Sierra Leone imported 452.0 tonnes of dried shelled legumes, a sharp 42.1% decrease from the previous year. The largest decline was in 2018, down 61.8%, while the biggest increase was in 2019, up 800.6%.

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

From 2017 to 2020, the United States was the dominant source for Sierra Leone's imports in volume, holding a 75.0% share of total flows. The rest was spread across various other markets.

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

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

Imports in value, K $ US

Market performance exhibited noticeable fluctuations during this time. Imports in value terms reached a high of 390.5 thousand US dollars in 2019 and dropped to a low of 31.9 thousand US dollars in 2018, a 12.2-fold variation. In 2020, imports totaled 268.2 thousand US dollars, declining by 31.3% compared to the previous year. The largest decrease was in 2018, down 84.7%, while the largest increase was in 2019, up 1 122.9%.

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

During 2017-2020, the United States strongly dominated Sierra Leone's imports in value terms, with a share of 71.2% of total flows. Other trading partners accounted for relatively minor portions.

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

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