By Yusupha Jobe
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment has assured that that the country’s has enough food stock to contain COVID 19 for a longest period.
Lamin Dampha made the statement Wednesday in his office in Banjul in an interview with The Voice where he mentioned that the current food stock level in the local markets can go for a long consumption period on the population adding as the current stock level on rice in the market supersede the country’s consumption level.
According to him, the consumption level of Gambians on rice is only equivalent to 16,000 metric tons, revealing that as the current stock level on rice in the local markets can take the consumption rate of the population for long period.
“We have anticipated the effect of coronavirus in the area of food stock level that is why the ministry has just convened a meeting to assess the food stock level in the market. But I can assure you that the current stock level on rice and other food commodities in the market can take a longest period.
We only have a consumption level on rice as a country at 16,000 metric tons and as at now the current stock level can take us for a longest period. And beside we are expecting about 20, 000 metric tons of rice next week. So there is no need to panic on food shortage in the market,” he said.
He pointed out that stock level of other consumable and non-consumable food commodities such as sugar, oil, onion and cements which consumption rate are large among the population is also sufficient in stock level.
“Despite other food stuffs currently going down in stock level, the government is taking measures to avoid their unavailability in the market and shortage on such commodities.
For the current stock level of sugar I can say we have about 18, 000 metric tons in the market as at now. So with the issue of onion and tomato which are locally produce will have a lasting impact in terms of their stock level in the market,” he said.
PS Dampha stressed that with the issue of price management in the local market as to avoid constant rise in price of basic food commodities during the spread of the virus lies within the responsibility of the Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission including other government agencies.
“We will intervene in regulating the price of food commodities when we feel a constant rise in price of commodities. But to inform you government does not have the mandate to put a rice control on basic good which is a free market system. So there are agencies responsible for doing that and who have already sent in their workers to check on the current price situation on local commodities,” PS Dampha pointed out.