Abdoulai G. Dibba
Secco Managers have called on the Government to announce the farm gate prices of Groundnut one month before the start of the trade season.
The Secco Managers made this call during a meeting in Jenoi, Lower River Region of The Gambia, designed to sensitize value chain stakeholders on the trends, requirements, potentials and opportunities in the agricultural sector particularly for groundnut, cashew and cereals.
They lamented the late start of the trade season, which they say make the farmers sell a greater part of their produce to middlemen across the border as the farm gate price and the start of the trade season are not known on time.
Talking to Foroyaa, Omar Satu Sallah a secco president, asserted that the farm gate Price announcement should be at least one month before the commencement of the trade season as this he said, will discourage farmers from selling their groundnuts to middlemen particularly if the price is good.
He thus called on the Government to announce the farm gate prices of Groundnut one month before the start of the trade season as well as the start of the trade season.
Kawsu Ceesay indicated that the early announcement of the farm gate price and the start of the trade season will help the Government to earn a lot of foreign exchange as the farmers will sell their nut in the country.
Other secco managers who spoke to Foroyaa shared the same views and called on Government to assist them with the early announcement of the farm gate price to ensure that farmers’ groundnuts stay in the country.
