Jacqueline Taonsa holds a dish of strawberries on her head, in Ouagadougou, March 28, 2024 (AFP/Archives/FANNY NOARO-KABRÉ)
In the suburbs of Ouagadougou, the round leaves of strawberries are replacing cabbage and salads. An “oddity” in the heart of the Sahel, Burkina Faso strawberries invade the stalls of local markets, a “red gold” which is now exported to neighboring countries.
From January to April, in the slums of Boulmiougou, a working-class neighborhood in the suburbs of the capital, strawberries “take the place of other crops”, Yiwendenda Tiemtoré told AFP.
Since dawn, when temperatures have not yet reached 40°C, he has been busy harvesting the small red fruits, which he carefully spreads on loincloths.
On average, 25 to 30 kilograms of strawberries of the “selva” and “camarose” varieties, the most cultivated in Burkina Faso, are harvested every three days on his plots of approximately 300m2, which he waters from market garden wells.
The cultivation of this fruit which loves the sun as much as water can be surprising in this Sahelian country.
Strawberries are arranged on a dish for sale, March 28, 2024, in the suburbs of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (AFP/Archives/FANNY NOARO-KABRÉ)
However, strawberry production is estimated at 2,000 tonnes per year in Burkina, the undisputed leader in “red gold” in the region. And if they are primarily popular with local customers, more than half are exported to neighboring countries.
“We receive orders from abroad, particularly from the Ivory Coast, Niger and Ghana, demand continues to increase and the prices are attractive,” reports Madi Compaoré, a market gardener, specialist in strawberries, who provides training with several local growers.
During its production period, from January to April, strawberries are sold at an average price of 3,000 CFA francs per kilo (4.50 euros), a high sum compared to other fruits and vegetables.
Insecurity due to jihadist violence and political upheavals in this country which experienced two military coups in 2022 has not affected production, which is concentrated in the country’s two main cities, Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, even if “the sector is not very well organized”, concedes Mr. Compaoré.
– Since the 70s –
According to the Support Program for the Promotion of Agricultural Entrepreneurship (PAPEA) in Burkina, the turnover of the 2019-2020 strawberry agricultural campaign was more than 2 billion CFA francs (around 3 million euros).
“We may think that it is an oddity to grow strawberries in a Sahelian country like Burkina Faso, but it has been a reality since the 1970s,” assures Madi Compaoré.
Strawberries are prepared for sale on March 28, 2024, in the suburbs of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (AFP/Archives/FANNY NOARO-KABRÉ)
At the time, the culture had been “introduced thanks to a French expatriate who had brought back a few plants for his garden”, he explains.
“There are more and more people who are starting to grow strawberries. It is our red gold because it is one of the most profitable crops for both producers and resellers,” says M. . Compaoré.
Jacqueline Taonsa, a trader, does not hesitate to abandon apples and bananas to sell them during the season.
On her bike, she crisscrosses the neighborhoods of Ouagadougou, a large salad bowl balanced on her head.
“With the heat, it is difficult to keep strawberries for a long time. So we take quantities that we can sell quickly during the day,” she explains, adding that she sells “five to six kilograms per day.” .
A former fruit and vegetable seller converted to selling woven loincloths, Adissa Tiemtore has maintained her strawberry business.
There is no question for her of depriving herself of margins of “200% to 300%”: “during the strawberry season I only take over this business to make a little money and also satisfy my former customers, who continue to request it “, she explains.
“We tour the producers according to the harvest days. We manage to have enough to sell every day, during the three months of production,” she continues.
But the end of April sounds the death knell for the season. “We are returning to our other activities while waiting for next season,” concludes Ms. Tiemtore.
© 2024 AFP
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