The governor of Ziguinchor (south), Mor Talla Tine, chaired, Monday, a forum of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation devoted to “the competitiveness of mango and cashew nuts from Casamance. ''We are delighted with the holding of this two-day forum, which will allow stakeholders in the cashew and mango sectors in the regions of Ziguinchor, Kolda and Sédhiou to focus on the real challenges of these two [fruits] that bear [...] of real opportunities,'' said Mr. Tine. The aim of the two-day forum is to identify the challenges faced by mango and cashew nut producers, from production to marketing, according to the governor. This meeting will also serve to find ways and means for public authorities to lend a hand to producers, he said. ''In the Ziguinchor region, in Casamance in general, we cannot talk about economic development opportunities while ignoring mango and cashew nuts,'' underlined Mor Talla Tine. ''These are sectors that have long been faced with certain difficulties. If we take the case of mango, it is necessary to improve its varieties and productivity,'' pointed out Mr. Tine. The mango sector is often victim of the presence of very harmful flies, which affect its productivity, recalled the governor. ''We are working with all the stakeholders concerned, so that the exploitation of cashew nuts can be done by sea,'' he assured. ''Since it banned the export of cashew nuts by land, the State of Senegal has redoubled its efforts in favor of those involved in the sector,'' recognized Boubacar Konta, president of an association of cashew producers. cashew. Mr. Konta welcomed the assistance provided by the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation to stakeholders in both sectors. ''This forum [...] is of capital importance,'' underlined the director general of the Regulatory Body of the goods warehouse receipt system in Senegal, Idrissa Junior Diallo. In 2023, Senegal exported nearly 150,000 tonnes of cashew nuts from the port of Ziguinchor, according to Mr. Diallo. ''This represents a financial value of more than 70 billion CFA francs,'' he added. More than 300 people – producers and traders – from the cashew and mango sectors from the regions of Kolda, Sédhiou and Ziguinchor are expected at the forum which will end on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation.