Onions and shallots market in Guinea

Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2020, Guinea's market for fresh onions and shallots experienced consistent growth, with production increasing from 566.1 thousand tons to 629.8 thousand tons and total market volume rising from 636.4 thousand tons to 702.1 thousand tons. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 introduced early market closures and travel restrictions, which affected fresh produce supply chains and pricing, yet domestic onion output remained resilient and continued to expand.

This upward trend persisted through 2021 and 2022, as production climbed to 701.0 thousand tons and market volume reached 791.5 thousand tons. Import levels varied during these years, supplementing domestic supply without disrupting the overall growth in local production.

In 2023 and 2024, institutional efforts to enhance public procurement transparency through the Directorate General of Public Procurement Control (DGCMP) and workshops to disseminate new agricultural laws supported the broader agricultural sector. These initiatives, alongside the Country Strategic Plan 2024‑2029 with the World Food Programme focusing on food security, provided a policy framework conducive to sustained development in onion production and market stability.

Production onions and shallots in Guinea

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of onions and shallots, 2017-2020

World map of production of onions and shallots, 2017-2020

Guinea's onion and shallot production has grown for the third consecutive year. In 2020, the country produced 629.8 thousand tons of onions and shallots, marking a steady increase of 5.5% compared to 2019. Looking at the period from 2017 to 2020, production rose by 17.3%, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 5.5%.

Annual dynamics of production in Guinea in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports onions and shallots from Guinea

Exports in kind, t

In 2020, Guinea exported 11 tons of onions and shallots, showing little change from the 2019 level. Over the four-year span from 2017 to 2020, exports increased by 45.5%, averaging an annual growth rate of 13.3%. The peak export volume was recorded in 2018 at 12 tons. The most significant drop occurred in 2019 with an 8.0% decrease, while the largest surge was in 2018 with a 58.2% rise.

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

From 2017 to 2020, Sierra Leone was the sole destination for Guinea's onion and shallot exports in volume terms, accounting for 100.0% of the total shipments.

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

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

Exports in value, K $ US

The market exhibited considerable volatility during this period. Import values fluctuated dramatically, with a 165-fold difference between the high in 2018 and the low in 2017. In 2020, Guinea's cross-border shipments of onions and shallots amounted to 144 thousand US dollars, remaining largely stable compared to the previous year. The highest value was recorded in 2018 at 145 thousand US dollars. The most notable decline was in 2019 with a 0.2% drop, while the largest increase occurred in 2018 with a staggering 16 368.8% surge.

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

Throughout 2017–2020, Guinea's exports in value terms were entirely concentrated on Sierra Leone, which represented 100.0% of the total flows.

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

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

Imports onions and shallots to Guinea

Imports in kind, t

After a two-year decline, Guinea's imports of onions and shallots rebounded. In 2020, imports reached 72 268 tons, a 30.7% increase from 2019. The lowest import volume was recorded in 2019 at 55 276 tons, which also saw the largest decline of 21.4%.

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

Between 2017 and 2020, the import market was highly concentrated, with the Netherlands alone responsible for 98.8% of total imports in volume terms.

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

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

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Guinea's imports of onions and shallots totaled 23 696 thousand US dollars, up 9.3% from the previous year. From 2017 to 2020, imports grew by 57.6%, averaging an annual increase of 16.4%. The most significant decrease was in 2019 with a 6.1% drop, while the largest rise was in 2018 with a 53.6% increase.

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

During 2017–2020, the geographical distribution of imports in value terms showed a strong reliance on the Netherlands, which accounted for 98.4% of total flows.

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

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