The
president of the livestock Association, Alhagie Kebba Jobe, has re-assured
Gambians that there will be adequate rams for sale in the country with
affordable prices for consumers.
He
said that currently there are rams available at Abuko that are sold for D5,000
and above, depending on the type and size of the rams one would need.
Mr
Jobe said many factors are responsible for the increasing prices of rams, such
as the depreciation of the dalasi to CFA, delay at the ferry crossing point
sometimes, checkpoint hurdles, and documentation of animals among other taxes
levied on foreign livestock dealers.
He
said Gambians need to know that most of the livestock animals are coming from
neighbouring countries hence there is need for The Gambia, especially the
security, to create an environment conducive for them to bring more animals for
the country for Tobaski.
Mr Jobe further emphasised that this year 2017,
there will be more than enough rams for sale for the Tobaski at reasonable
prices in the sense that when the supply is high , the prices will be forced
down .
At
the moment, he said, “it is just two weeks before the Tobaski but rams are
being brought into the country, at Abuko, and imagine close to the day of
Tobaski more rams will be brought into the country, which will greatly help the
consumers to buy rams at cheaper prices.
Mr
Jobe also commended the new Gambia and the government for creating an
environment conducive for foreign livestock dealers to come to The Gambia with
much rams for sale.
He
said the current Government cannot be compared with the previous regime, as the
former regime did not respect livestock dealers, and was “very unfair” with the
Gambian business people, imposing stringent conditions every day.
Mr
Jobe also thanked the Gambian leader, and his cabinet minister, as he expressed
his dissatisfaction over the way and manner in which the former regime treated
them as business people in this country.
He
added that the former regime had “no respect” for livestock dealers and was not
helping them; instead he was “exploiting” them in their business.
He
said high prices of rams cannot be compromised and one of the ways to do so is
allowing more rams to be brought into the country, which will bring down the
price, since with more rams, supply will outweigh demand hence prices will
fall.
He
also seized the opportunity to thank the minister of trade for her advice in
terms of ensuring that the prices of rams are reduced so that the average
Gambians can afford to buy rams for their families for the Tobaski.
Mr
Jobe also appealed to government to help foreign livestock dealers who are
bringing more rams into the country.
Government
should make life easy for foreign livestock dealers so that they can enter the
country with more livestock.
He
also advised consumers not to wait until the last minute before they start to
look out for rams, saying the earlier the better, and when the demand is not
high rams are sold at reasonable prices.
He
said that currently there are rams whose prices range from D5,000 to D25,000
and above. These are available at Abuko, depending on consumers’ financial
strength.
