SENEGAL


TEXTILE INDUSTRY

1) INTRODUCTION

The textile tradition in Senegal is very old. In the early 50's, the newly established factories using modern dyeing and printing techniques enabled so called "African" fabrics this providing fashion stylists with materials to freely express their creativity.

Following the general trend of early independence years, the textile industry was branded by state control and protection, has been since the mid 70's, grappling with cumbersome difficulties.

Before the 1994 devaluation of CFA franc, Senegalese's cost of production was relatively high. Labour was 3/5 the cost of labour in India, electrical power 4/5, and other input 3/4 of the cost in India.

Today, however thanks to the currency devaluation, production costs has decreased 35% is US dollar terms.

2) THE ACTORS

Company
Sub sector/ manufacture product
Yearly production capacity
Remarks
SODEFITEX (Société de Développement des Fibres Textiles) Ginning / cotton fiber 65 000 tons of cotton Seeds Export 90% of its production
CCV Thread Weaving blanket, Household, cloth 1 300 tons of thread weaving articles Recent modernisation now in diversification process (manufacturing mopping cloths, blankets)
SRG ICOTAF Weaving dyeing and printing yarming Yarming 950 tons weaving 3.3 million meters printing 6 million meters Activity limited to printing of imported materials to produce "fancy" fabric
SOSEFIL Knitting; dyeing, threat, serigraphics hats 1 200 tons thread 5 knitting machines Modernisation of threading plant completed recent investment in modern knitting equipment and serigraphics
NOUVELLE SOTIBA Dyeing, enhancing printing (Wax and "Fancy") 36 million meters on printing Old equipment Great creativity Wax Unit stopped
SOTEXKA Integrated Activities Thread, weaving, dyeing, knitting, printing confection 2 000 tons thread 5 million meters of weaving 1 300 tons of knitting 5 million meters of prints and dyeing 8 millions confection pieces (426 sewing machines) Lack of finance compels this company to limited and episodic production

3 THE DOMESTIC MARKET

The domestic market is estimated at about 130 F CFA billion per year, two thirds of the value of which is made by printed fabrics ("fancy cloth"), the most sold textile production in Senegal. It should be noted that there is fierce competition in printed fabrics form imported products.

Segmented in large product categories, the Senegalese domestic cloth market appears as follows :

Threads : 1500 tons / year
Raw cloth : 15 million meters
"Fancy" : about 30 million meters/ year
"Bazin" : 2.5 million meters / year
Common artificial and synthetic textiles : 5 million meters/ year
Wax prints : 2 million meters/ year
Artisanal fabrics : 5 million meters (raw "percale" white "bazin" for dyeing).

This artisanal weaving and dyeing market is appreciable and is an interesting prospect for threading manufacturers, of which it remains the main client.

4) THE REGIONAL MARKET AND LARGE SCALE EXPORTATION

The sub region's market (in particular that of (UEMOA) to which the local industries could turn to have an existing potential market of 70 millions persons (i.e. 400 million meters and F CFA 500 billion)

To access these markets which present for Senegal specifically considerably favourable conditions due to regulatory arrangements, criterias of quality, price, regularity, rapidity must be met. The standards that prevailed among the Senegalese units coupled with the lack of viatility in prospecting new opportunities constituted the main hindrances preventing to complete in these tough markets.

Excluding cotton fiber ; the Senegalese exportations of textile products represent less than F CFA 5 billions of which F CFA 1 500million are generated by confection. The main export sales are done on printed fabrics (SOTIBA and ICOTAF) and some thread. Presently, there are no exportations of raw cloth.

5) MAIN ADVANTAGES

  • Senegal is a cotton production country : even when performance hits record lows, the production is largely sufficient to supply the local industries in fiber cotton.
  • The neighbour countries, namely those of the UEMOA also produce great quantities of cotton. Senegal's potentials for growth is considerable ;
  • The country's geographic position is one of the best in the continent for exporting to Europe and the USA;
  • There is a abundant, skilled and experienced labour;
  • Senegal already has basic operational infrastructure. its efficiency must be improved ; Senegal is a politically stable country ;
  • It is an active member of the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) which totals 70 million consumers.

6) OPPORTUNITIES AND PROSPECTIVE POTENTIALS

Senegal is one of the very few African countries eligible for the Clinton AGOA initiative, whereby subject to compliance with the defined criteria, products are not restricted by quota considerations from the US market.

The UEMOA market, free and open to the Senegalese industry represents 70 million consumers. The zone's textile market is estimated approximately at 500 billion F CFA including 70% for fabrics (400 million meters). This market is expanding remarkably and continuously each year (population growth, increase of buying power).

There is a considerable potential to improve both the quality and quantity of fiber cotton production in Senegal.

Some of the existing tools perform rather well but should be utilised in a flexible way to address the regional market's needs. The relative advantage that resulted from the F CFA devaluation, a change in policies for the sector and facilitated access to some markets (UEMOA, Europe, USA) could contribute in giving the Senegalese industries better fighting chances in international competition.

The confection sub sector could greatly benefit from these opportunities by using the local designers creativity and a new area could be investigated, namely that of decoration fabrics (e.g. for furniture) for western consumers in search for exclusive and original patterns.