By Lamin Fatty
Farmers in URR rush to their groundnuts buying points(seccos) when the news of cash availability broke out on Sunday, 9 January, 2022.
Accordingly, farmers who took their groundnuts to GGC buying points for sale, did not receive the money for almost a week. On Sunday, when the news broke out that the secccos were supplied with cash, many farmers rushed to their buying points to receive their money on that particular Sunday evening as they were eager to get their cash.
This reporter also rushed to one of the buying points in Jah Kunda, Wulli West in URR north to ascertain this information. The secco president, Baka Kebbeh, confirmed that their buying point has received money on that day afternoon.
“I can confirm that the money is available now which we have received it in this afternoon, and as you can see farmers are to get their money because they have brought their ground nuts here for sale while then there was no money and they are here to collect their money,” secco President confirmed.
He added that the money brought may not sustain them for a week, because the amount is not enough to pay all the deficit and continue buying groundnut coming to their point. He indicated that this is the third time that his secco has been supplied with cash since the groundnut trade season began. However, he added that this recent supply is better as far as the cash amount supply is concerned.
“Because first time this secco was supplied with only D300, 000 which we began buying with that, secondly another D300, 000 was brought and this third one is even better because we are supplied with D700, 000 which was brought today’s afternoon but I am afraid it may not sustain us for even a week as the coming of ground nuts is increasing every day,” he posited.
This secco president of Jah Kunda buying point also used this opportunity to postulate on some of the constraints they are facing at that buying point, including lack of storage facility, where groundnut can be kept before final transportation to GGC main depot in Basse.
“Storage facility at this secco is a very big challenge we are facing right now, because our main store has collapsed since year before last and a small room where we keep our secco materials is being using to store ground nuts purchased which is also full. Now we have no option than to negotiate with a nearby compound head where we are now packing our purchased ground nuts before transporting it Basse,” he postulate.
He said he had been reported this issue to the management of GGC any time they visited this particular secco but still nothing is done about it.
According to this secco president also that there are delays at the main depot as vehicles are packed with loaded ground nuts and could not offload due to technical issue on the machine there.
This reporter also contacted Balang Mballow a secco President in Dingring buying point in Tumanna URR South ascertain that area too about the availability of the cash, Mr. Mballow also confirmed that they received the cash on day Sunday but also indicated that the money supplied to his secco cannot sustained for a week.
“I can confirm to you that the money is available today because we are supplied with one million dalasi (D1,000,000.00) but that cannot sustain us a week, I know even before tomorrow we may clear that, cash is always insufficient compared to the ground nuts appearing at this particular secco in Dingring. This secco makes more purchase on groundnuts compared to the other seccos in URR and in last year 2021, this secco produced 334.10 tons of ground nuts, and so far this year 2022, so far we purchased over 80 tons of groundnuts,” Balang Mballow said.
Duguneh Fofana, the regional chairman for secco presidents in URR when contacted for further confirmation, established that all seccos in the URR received money on Sunday and deficit payment is ongoing while buying continued.
“I am aware and I confirmed to you that all the buying points (secco) across URR are supplied with cash today Sunday 9th January 2022, after almost a week without cash, but now as I am talking to you deficit payment and buying are ongoing across the region,” regional chairman confirmed.
This reporter then on Monday visited GGC main depot in Basse to see what may be the factors responsible for delaying the offloading of the vehicles that transport groundnuts from the seccos machine.
“Seen is believing, as you can see the work is in progress and we are not having any problem on our machine that could delayed work here, if we anything to delay us could be the slow process of the system which is typical,” depot manager said. TRRC holds NIA, Military “Junglers”
