Mali: With local rice unsold, the Malian government is buying 26,030 tonnes to stabilise the market
In Mali, rice is among the main cereals grown and consumed, along with maize. However, faced with competition from imported rice often cheaper and sometimes perceived as better quality local production struggles to find its way onto consumers’ plates. To remedy this situation, the government has just announced the buyback of 26,030 tonnes of unsold rice held by the interprofessional organization of the industry.
The decision, taken during the Council of Ministers on Thursday, April 23, provides for the State to acquire these stocks and resell them to the population at an accessible price.
The operation will be carried out with the support of the Malian Office of Agricultural Products, which will receive a subsidy to cover associated costs.
“The implementation of this operation will support the national rice industry, preserve the purchasing power of the population, and ensure market stability during the lean season,” the Council of Ministers’ statement emphasizes.
This situation is largely explained by the low competitiveness of local rice. According to the government, high production costs make the Malian product less attractive than imports, thus favoring the accumulation of unsold stocks among producers and processors.
The Malian case is part of a broader trend observed in the sub-region, particularly in Senegal and Ghana.
In the first country, authorities have multiplied measures in recent months to facilitate the sale of local rice: a subsidy of 50 CFA francs per kilogram, temporary restrictions on imports, and incentives for consumption by public institutions.
Despite these efforts, producers continue to face significant volumes of unsold rice. According to local media, rice growers and agro-industries in Saint-Louis, in the Senegal River valley, estimated that more than 50,000 tonnes of paddy and milled rice remained unsold in their warehouses at the end of March 2026.
In Mali as elsewhere, the question remains: how to make local rice more competitive without systematically resorting to public subsidies?
The massive buyback of the State provides a lifeline for the sector, but cannot constitute a sustainable solution in the face of import pressure.
Neil CAMARA
