(JollofNews) – In the wake of recent publications and concerns expressing fear over the viability of the groundnut trade season, His Excellency President Adama Barrow wishes to inform Gambians especially our farming community, that his government attaches great significance to agriculture and that the purchase of groundnuts from our hard working farmers is a responsibility he cannot compromise .
Accordingly, President Barrow has given a directive for the immediate resumption of groundnut buying across the country and makes it categorically clear that the issuing of promissory notes and undue delays of purchasing farmers’ nuts can no longer be business as usual.
Therefore, following the President’s intervention to fix this matter, in the course of next week the National Food Security Corporation (formerly GGC) will be receiving some D396 million through the Central Bank of The Gambia for the immediate purchase of groundnuts from farmers. This money is sufficient to cover all outstanding payments and buy the rest of the nuts waiting in queues in local “seccos” across the countryside.
It can be recalled that the groundnut marketing season began on 17th December 2018 and is expected to officially close on 10th March, 2019.
This year alone, the NFSC is financing 73 Cooperative Societies and there are 23 self-financed traders in the groundnut trade.
The total tonnage received in our depots as at 7th February 2019 is 25,250 Meteric tons and the projected tonnage to be purchased this year is some 35,000 metric tons.
The cash disbursed to “Seccos” as at 7th February 2019 stands at D250million.
Good moved for farmers, these people’s work hard for the benefit of the country so there should no delays when their products are ready for the market.
There could have been only three outcomes with the buying of peanuts deadlocked because of cash shortage. The first route is to buy on credit, second, force some institution with cash reserves to come onboard or the farmers will have no other alternative but to travel to border buying points in Senegal to dispose off their products at any price.
All the above is nothing new. It’s been the norm for Gambian groundnut farmers for ages. The question is: When and how will this phenomenon give way to a much more innotive management of the the groundnut sub-sector?
Touting a private sector led economy, as indicated by governments intervention at this period, is nothing but rhetoric meant to appeal to the IMF, the Word Bank and other loan and credit sharks of the west.
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In my mind, the solution lies squarely at the door of government to add value to our agricultural products by transforming them from their raw state, to manufactured goods for the domestic and the international markets. For example, peanuts could be pressed for high quality oil and animal feed. The shells are a source of coal and manure. What better way to minimize the importation of oil, which will corresponding reduce the enormous trade deficit our economy is laboring under.
The People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) has been calling for the processing of agricultural products on our shores to better the lot of the farmers who bring in the biggest chunk of the GDP.
Successive governments have failed to pay heed, all the while, the farmers continue to suffer. They (we) plough the land in the rainy season from dusk to dawn, in the most crude ways imaginable. Yet, begging and living off alms has become synonymous with being a farmer in The Gambia.
How about the bureaucrats? They live lives of luxury and flamboyance unashamedly at the expense of the most down trodden. What a pity!!
Yours in the service of The Gambia and Afrikka, I remain.
This intervention may be too little and too late as the groundnut crop that’s been waiting for purchase, quality management and other processes may have suffered irredeemable post harvest losses at poorly managed SECCOS.
It’s been FOUR MONTHS into the groundnut buying season but the government is still talking about crop financing.
Serious groundnut producing countries have already marketed the bulk of their crop in the international market whereas The Gambia is still grappling with how to finance purchases.
The question is when will The Gambia be able to compete in the international market given that the crop may already be of mediocre quality on account of deterioration in storage that amounts to irreparable post harvest losses. The stuff may not be fit for livestock feed without further treatment. The conundrum here isn’t only about buying and selling groundnuts but chiefly about the QUALITY STANDARDS of the crop. Lord have mercy!
Folks, The Gambia may be the only country in the world that stores groundnuts in huge piles in the open and at the mercy of the vagaries of nature. They are just too callous and not serious when it comes to our farmers period. The shady, crooked and good for nothing private traders are of little help either.
The groundnut harvest started in November 2018. We are now in mid February 2019. A time when any serious international buyer or processor has already secured a reliable market.
Let’s all note that a fresh new crop is what commands a premium in the international market whereas an old, stale and pest ridden crop goes for a pittance or at give away prices!
The Gambia has for too long had to grapple with getting a decent price for its groundnut crop. A scenario that’s entirely of our own making with little to do with the “colonial masters”. It’s been 53 years since independence folks but the Groundnut conundrum still haunts The Gambia.
Harping on crop financing at this point in time amounts to a political stunt and no end of spinning will make this right!
The situation doesn’t look good and is reminisof the OJ, Momodou Dibba and Saikou Sabally era at the helm.
When we have Alkali Contehs and Ebrima Sankarehs at Barrow’s ear, what good will come out of the state house?
Chei GAMBIA!
By the way, while 396 Million Dalasis May sound phenomenal to the average Gambian, it amounts to under US $8 million.pain and Allah Bato!!
The Gambian farmers’ returns out of the groundnut YAAKAARR has become a case of KUNANG KOI LA NIISI KANTA or what in Wolof is akin to JENDA JAAN CHI PAHH. Nothing is certain anymore amidst the lies, greed and spin that abound in The Gambia. Meanwhile, management at public corporations continue to have a field day carting away taxpayers money.
Why did we have to vote Yaya Jammeh out only to get what we have now?? An NDP Taatu Neign.
Someone help me out here!
The spokesperson seems to wear a pretty serious face in that pose like; ‘yes, we did it’. That’s how i come to assume it’s all a very bad joke that’s not going to look good here.
I’m sorry for us the farmers. The more those tummies bulge like they’re popping out of those kaftans the more you see frail looking barefooted and obviously malnourished children around the farming communities, running around to find some fun in the silhouettes in the moonlight, in states of desolate poverty. What can they do? Their parents can hardly afford candles!; if you want to wonder if they could afford electricity even if they’ve had access to it. With such a feeling of despair trying to figure it out, I came to the conclusion that perhaps none of the generations of those communities will ever be witness to their villages ever having access to electricity or a clinic. Out in the villages there is even more dust and underfed kids whose eyes corners and skins would dry up and get cracky. And, it is indeed a tiny country perhaps with just little over 2m people where they claim everybody to be somehow related. Despite that claim of blood bond, there always seems to that hallmark a sub family of few relatives who take glory in AFRIINTA, at the expense of the 98% of people living in abominable poverty.
Andrew, though your brand new releases are very heavy, I guess you are in no doubt that those guys out there, have the heaviest ones when it comes to self vindicating themselves of their corrupt practices and lifestyles… I bet that when Foday’s masters at Mangsaalingolu want, they would draw just one for you right now and turn your green comment into dull black. Well I think I’m a bit cautious of even your very ones for fear of Mansaalingolu La ambiguity. I hope you’ll make a piece on the positives in Mangsaalingolu
and beautiful ones from various ‘vernaculars’ and hopefully Jollofnews will kindly publish it. I wish I’m not addicted to their use anyway.
“Mansaalingolu La ambiguity” Bourne. Hahataye!
Yes, the Barrow men may be heavier and roundish looking than the Pirelli tire mascot on account of the new found Al Khunuto. However, Domorr Foday and his retinue, The Saidina Ebrimas, Cherno Babas, Afang Langs and the Suukuus will not escape my friendly Mangsaalingolu and our bright Torchlightolu that are all designed to unmask the apparent ambiguity Bourne.
I agreed all of the above most of you telling their honest opinions.