By Assan Bah
(Reporting from Kerr Ardo)
President Barrow on Tuesday, 19 November 2024 informed a gathering in Kerr Ardo, Lower Badibou District – North Bank Region (NBR) that the price of groundnut will remain thirty-eight dalasi per kilo.
The President, during his departure ceremony at the ferry terminal in Banjul, told reporters that the price of groundnut this season will be breaking news in the tour.
Farmers have decried that they have low harvest this season. The President said the government last season spent ten thousand eight and hundred dalasi (D10,800) for every ton of groundnut saying it was geared towards helping farmers to have good sales for their farm produce.
“The price of groundnut will therefore remain unchanged from that of last year’s. We spent lot of money on the groundnut the last season and we are calling on all farmers to sell their groundnuts to the government,” President Barrow said.
He explained that the government initially allocated 1 billion dalasi for the purchase of groundnut. He added that farmers last season recorded significant yield last and the Government had to allocate additional five hundred million dalasi to be able to buy groundnut from all farmers.
Barrow said the government’s plan is to ensure there is affordable and accessible rice to all Gambians and that was why they have come up with initiatives to supporting farmers with rice seeds, and fertilizer to farmers.
“Rice is expensive because it is imported and it is not cheap from where it is imported from,” he said.
The President also reported that the government has ordered 128 tractors, which will be sold at a subsidized price of 25% to farmers.
“All these tractors will arrive before next year’s cropping season. The government will pay the 25% and farmers pay 25% and other 50% will be paid in a period of 4 years,” he said.
