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Gambia News: Groundnut Buying Has Not Started
Following the issuance of a press release by the Agri-business Services Plan Associations (ASPA) on the commencement date for the 2007/8 groundnut trade season, this reporter visited the buying points 'Secco' within the Upper River Region (URR) to assess the situation on the ground and to find out whether groundnut buying has started.
At the first station that this reporter visited, the Basse secco, nothing was seen to indicate that groundnut buying is in progress. When contacted, a Secco manager (name withheld) told this reporter that groundnut buying has not started. According to him, they, Secco managers, have formed an association and agreed that they should have a substantial amount of money in hand before starting the buying of farmers' produce. He said that they reached at this agreement so as to avoid the difficulties they normally encounter when they engage in credit buying.
This reporter visited the 'Secco' at Garawol and Fatoto in the Kantora district but found out that buying was not taking place. He caught up with one Mansata Sanneh, who was selling decorticated groundnut seeds at the Garawol market and asked her why she is selling her groundnut when the trade season had started.
According to her, the decision to sell her nuts at the market was triggered by the fact that she wants to meet some pressing family needs ahead of the Tobaski.
This reporter also visited Sandu Darsilame and Wuli Birifu but nothing was happening in those areas. In Birifu, it was only the fence that was prepared but nothing was taking place.
In an interview with one Saiba Darboe, who claims to be a representative of the farmers, he said they have not seen any clerk or money. He said farmers are taking their groundnuts to Senegal for marketing because they have lost confidence in marketing their groundnuts in the country. An extension worker also told to this reporter that he saw a tractor around Tabanding, in Wuli, heading for Senegal and loaded with bags of groundnuts. According to him, farmers felt that that was the only thing they can do to solve their pressing family problems.
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