''The 2023-2024 agricultural campaign looks promising, with peanut production estimated at more than 1.7 million tonnes,'' declared Mr. Ba during an inter ministerial council devoted to the peanut marketing campaign.
The minister of Agriculture, Rural Equipment and Food Security, Samba Ndiobène Ka, and the minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Doudou Ka, took part in this meeting, alongside representatives of oil growers and peasant organisations.
It was an opportunity to “assess the challenges facing the peanut industry and define strategic directions to maximise its potential,” the Prime Minister underlined.
“Advance planning is crucial to guarantee the success of the sector by allowing all stakeholders, particularly producers, to benefit from their work,” added Amadou Ba.
According to him, the government has allocated a budget of 100 billion CFA francs, including 28 billion for the peanut seed subsidy, to the 2023-2024 agricultural campaign.
He invited the ministers responsible for the Armed Forces, the Interior, Finance and Budget, Agriculture and their colleague from Commerce to take "the necessary measures" for a good collection of peanut seeds from November 30.
Amadou Ba also asked them to ensure that the fixed floor price was applied.
He tasked them to ensure that “seeds are not exported.” The head of government insisted on the necessary “collaboration” between the government and stakeholders in the peanut sector.
This collaboration will make it possible to “identify the obstacles and opportunities that present themselves to us,” he said.
“We must also focus on the question of valorizing our peanut production by encouraging innovation, local processing and the search for new national and international outlets. This will not only guarantee decent income for our producers, but also strengthen our position on the world market,” added Mr. Ba.
It will be up to the ministries concerned with the marketing of peanut crops and to stakeholders in the sector to prevent the seeds from leaving the national territory for a specific period of time.
The Prime Minister recommended to the minister of Agriculture to provide “stock building letters” to seed operators as soon as possible, in order to facilitate their collection.
He invited the minister of Commerce to take the necessary measures so that “exported products comply with the required standards”.
Likewise, he asked the same minister to ensure that “seeds are not exported”.
Amadou Ba also invited the minister of the Armed Forces and his Interior colleague to “strengthen border surveillance to prevent the escape of seeds to neighboring countries”.
''SONACOS (the country's main oil mill) will have to make the necessary arrangements for its supply and ensure the smooth running of the collection,'' underlined Mr. Ba.
Source: Senegalese News Agency(APS).
