A buyer of commodities should first quantify the quantity of the commodities available and then come with sufficient money to purchase them. Unless that is done, those who wish to sell their commodities would not get a market that has the capacity to absorb them. This is precisely what is happening in the North Bank with the trade season.
Farmers have been counselled to take their groundnuts to the “seccos” which many did. Unfortunately, those assigned by the corporation to purchase the groundnuts go to their stations only to receive sums on a weekly basis that fall short of the supply available. Consequently, many of the “secco” managers are unable to pay for the groundnuts that are brought to the “seccos” by the farmers. In some cases farmers are asked to leave their crops to return at a later date for their money. This is credit buying.
President Barrow should take note that the credit buying of the past has been a major anomaly of the trade seasons of the past which ought to be redressed by any government that seeks to serve the farmers with diligence. The promises made by the Barrow administration would be fruitless if there is a shortage in the allocation of money to purchase the crops of the farmers.
Nothing is more destabilizing than to farm for half the year only to store crops with all the threats of pest infestation just because money is not available to purchase them.
