Spanish entrepreneurs are interested in Canarian products in Senegal - La Provincia

The Minister of Economy, Industry, Trade and Knowledge of the Government of the Canary Islands, Pedro Ortega, today held a meeting with Spanish businessmen in the Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain in Dakar to present the results of the market study on the opportunities of business that the agri-food products of the islands have. The meeting was attended by the counselor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain Jaime Oráa; the president of the Association of Spanish Entrepreneurs in Senegal, Gaspar Baños; the ambassador of Spain, Alberto Virella Gomes; and the consul of General of Spain in Senegal: Rodrigo Aguirre de Cárcer; In addition to businessmen and market consultants.

On behalf of the Canarian delegation, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Economic Affairs with the European Union, Alfonso Socorro, the general director of Economic Affairs with Africa, Pablo Martín Carbajal, and the president and vice president of Asinca, Andrés Calvo and Gonzalo Medina attended , respectively. Together with them, the commercial promoter of Proexca in Senegal also attended.

The study, which was presented this week to the Canarian industry, indicates that the agri-food sector of the islands has a gap in the Senegalese market, where an important part of consumer goods are imported, given that most of the industry of the country is extractive.

In this context, Pedro Ortega recalled that only in Senegal there is a potential market of 12 million people. In addition, the country represents a gateway to distribute products to other countries in the region that make up the same customs union and, in that sense, the introduction in this market is especially relevant for the expansion of the Canarian economy in the continent, added .
To this day, Senegal is the third commercial partner of the Archipelago in the African continent, removing oil exports. However, the year-on-year growth of the country, estimated at an average of 7% by the International Monetary Fund and the existence of an incipient social middle class, contribute to expanding the expectations offered by Senegal as a potential customer of Canarian products.

Pedro Ortega recalled that in this first study on the business opportunities that exist in Senegal, a series of Canarian food and hygiene products are identified that have a greater potential for insertion in the market. Likewise, it is detected that there are other non-agri-food products, related to packaging or construction, that could have a market and for which a second study will be carried out.

The Minister explained that the Government of the Canary Islands plans to continue working and undertaking new actions in 2019, in collaboration with the Industrial Association of the Canary Islands (Asinca), aimed at promoting exports of Canarian products and the investment of Canarian industrial companies in Senegal. , is confident that the experience of Spanish companies based in the country will serve as a reference and contribute to advance in the process of expansion of the Canarian economy in this market.

At present, there are a dozen Canarian companies operating in Senegal, of which a third are installed in the country, another third export products on a regular basis and a third offer services.