The Director of Research and Development at Productions Sembec Explores Seed Potato Partnerships in Senegal

The director of research and development at Production Sembec, in Pointe-aux-Outardes, André Gagnon, returns from a prospecting mission to Senegal with his head full of ideas for projects and partnerships for the production or export of seeds potatoes.

The latter indicates that he is considering which business model he wishes to develop with the future partners he met during his stay in the West African country, which lasted 10 days in September.

Stimulating exchanges were created with the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research and the seeds directorate as well as producers of basic seeds. “The heart of the project is potato seeds. This is also our specialization at Productions Sembec,” underlines Nord-Côtier, who bought the company in 2019.

The latter indicates having received a clear signal: “They want to get involved, there are people who would like to be business partners. There are so many choices that we will have to carry out a market study and analysis to find the best partnerships. »

Processing plant

The other part of the project consists of the possibility of building processing factories in Senegal. “There were two objectives, including the file to create local processing plants there for employment, because they have an incredible priority for seed potatoes,” mentions the Nord-Côtier.

He explains that they also have a food security objective. “They are taken to export a lot of seeds. They are dependent on European countries, mainly France. They want, so to speak, to free themselves from that and produce potato seeds at home,” he explains.

At Productions Sembec, there have already been attempts to produce seed in Africa, indicates Mr. Gagnon: “There is expertise that could support us. »

Huge interest

André Gagnon embarked on this exploratory mission in order to discover “how the industry is structured”. Interest in potato seeds is immense, notes the latter.

“It was our interest, because I had taken steps to export to Latin America before the pandemic. I had an interest in exporting and I had never been to Africa,” he continues.

Mr. Gagnon was contacted by Abdoulaye Badiane, general director and international commissioner at Commerce international Côte-Nord, regarding a call for projects in the network in Quebec. “It’s a call for projects for projects in Senegal and it included potato seeds,” explains Mr. Gagnon, who obviously felt challenged.

Adapt to the culture

“It was the first time I went to Africa. It’s something completely different. In all the countries of Latin America, where we have gone to prepare for export, we have to adapt to the culture. The organizations are not the same either,” notes Mr. Gagnon.

The experience turned out to be very enriching, even surprising, for the Nord-Côtier who emphasizes “the greed for potato seeds”.

“Whether in government, in public or private organizations, among private producers or even in cooperatives, they really need potatoes. They don’t receive what they order every year,” he says.