SADIO MANé BUILDS $20M MANGO PROCESSING PLANT IN HOMETOWN

Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a CFA11.7bn ($20.4m) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at expanding mango processing and creating jobs.

The project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, in the Sédhiou Region, according to Ecofin Agency.

The complex will feature a mango processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes.

The facility is expected to produce mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter, while the project will also include a 500-hectare plantation for Kent mangoes.

The investment is located in Casamance, one of Senegal’s major mango-producing regions, where a shortage of processing facilities has contributed to significant post-harvest losses.

Senegal reportedly loses an estimated 30 to 45 per cent of its harvested fruit each year due to factors including poor farming practices, harvesting difficulties, transportation challenges and limited processing outlets.

Speaking at the launch, Mané said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond his achievements on the football pitch.

“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began,” he said.

The footballer added that the project was intended to contribute to job creation and agricultural development in his hometown and the wider region.

The processing plant is expected to provide a local outlet for more mangoes, including fruit that may not meet the requirements for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary standards.

A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region.

The study noted that Sédhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped with processing facilities despite producing local mango varieties.

It also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services as another challenge for processors in the region, with some businesses having to rely on facilities in Dakar.

Mané’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry continues to recover from challenges associated with fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.

Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes later declined following difficulties affecting access to the European market.

Exports to Europe reportedly increased to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, compared with about 14,000 tonnes the previous season.

The increase followed improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies affecting mango production and exports.