These are the types of stories the ghastly, inept and corrupt regime in BJL
wants to keep out of the spotlight; hence the authoritarian Media Bill,
which has just been rubber-stamped by APRC lackeys in the APRC Assembly.
They are in for a shocker: in the age of the "death of distance", the
internet, and 24 hours newswire, only a fool would imagine that you can keep
the lid tightly shut on damaging information forever - the longest they can
keep information out is, well, 24 hours. After that, the cat is out the
bag...

____________________________________


D12.5 Million Still Owed to Farmers



The Independent (Banjul)

May 6, 2002
Posted to the web May 6, 2002

SB Camara
Banjul

Reports monitored by The Independent suggest that over D12 million is still
being owed to Gambian farmers, representing what has been described as an
outstanding balance for the purchase of groundnut through out the country.

Reports say D12.5 million is the sum left unpaid by Premier Agro Oils Gambia
Ltd. According to sources, from the beginning of the trade season to the
28th February, 45,460 metric tones of the groundnut produce was valued at
D120, 460,909.55. The Independent has been informed that half of the
outstanding balance of D25 million was paid last week, but D12.5 million is
still outstanding as the amount owed.

According to reports, Premier Agro Oils and groundnut stakeholders, agreed
at 35,000 metric tones, but due to the frequency with which the produce is
delivered at seccos, the quantity was raised to 62,000 metric tones by the
end of February. This was confirmed by a highly placed source.

According to the arrangement this is 27 times more than that covered by the
initial agreement between stakeholders, according to the sources, which sent
the buyers into financial uncertainty. Sources said although a huge amount
of money was invested in the buying of the produce, the exclusive amount of
capital needed to buy all the produce countrywide has still not been made
available.

In an earlier interview with The Independent, the general manager of the
Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Societies Ansumana Makalo said since
the dissolution of The Gambia Co-operative Union in 1998, F.A.C.S had since
that period supported its mandate in the marketing of 95 percent of the
commercial crop of the entire country during the past two years. FACS is
responsible for co-coordinating the production and marketing efforts of its
constituted 58 co-operative producers and marketing societies with 120,000
members countrywide.

According to Mr Makalo, the financing of the market is a key problem to the
groundnut sector because it involves a large sum of capital, hence its
liberalization.

Clarifying the widely complained credit buying Makalo said it was due to the
surplus nature of the produce in the country, against the less availability
of financial support for its purchase. At the peak of the season, he said,
the frequency with which nuts are sent to seccos is rather high than the
availability of cash.

He however gave assurances that stakeholders will always be firmly committed
to business and are conscious of the domestic responsibilities farmers have.

Reports revealed that Premier Agro Oils Company is the only company
expressing interest in the purchase of the number one commercial produce of
The Gambia.

All efforts made to reach the general manager of commercial operations of
Agro Oils Modou Dibba proved futile, as he was said to be engaged.

But sources close to him said the remaining half of the outstanding balance
would be made available to the farmers next week, to complete the payment.





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