In the wake of recent publications and the concerns of 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 directives for the immediate resumption of groundnuts bought from farmers across the country and makes it categorically clear that the issuing of promissory notes and undue delays of purchasing from farmers’ nuts would no longer be business as usual.
Therefore, subsequently after the President’s intervention to fix this matter, the National Food Security Corporation (formerly known as GGC) in the course of next week will be given some amount of 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 groundnuts 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 groundnuts trade.
The total tonnage received in our depots as at 7th February 2019 is 25,250 Metric tons and the projected tonnage to be purchased this year is about 35,000 metric tons. The cash disbursed to “Seccos” as at 7th February 2019 stands at D250 million.
Signed: EG Sankareh, the Spokesperson for the Government of the Gambia.