Data from the Dutch Onion Association published at the end of August indicate that in Côte d'Ivoire, onion purchases from the Netherlands are being purchased were raised to 189,012 tons in 2021. This volume of imports increased by 26%, or 37,641 tons, compared to the previous season's stock.

With this dynamic, Côte d'Ivoire overtook Senegal (175,898 tons) and became the first African destination for Dutch onions. This upsurge in purchases by the Eburnéan nation is mainly explained by the constant increase in bulb consumption against a background of low local supply. In the largest UEMOA economy, local production meets less than 10% of household demand, but also of the out-of-home catering sector, where the bulb is present in the most common dishes.

Taking advantage of the difficulties of the local supply chain and enjoying several advantages, such as its availability in fresh form throughout the season, unlike onions from Niger and Burkina (available between January and August), Dutch onions have quickly conquered the Ivorian market over the past decade. The Netherlands is thus the main supplier of onions to Côte d'Ivoire, where the product is in the top 10 most imported agricultural commodities alongside rice and wheat.