MPs hold Sudan Ministers accountable for low sorghum price

Sudanese Members of Parliament are collecting signatures to hold the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture to accountable for the government's refusal to increase the focus price of sorghum.

On Wednesday Mubarak El Nur, the independent MP of El Fashaga constituency of El Gedaref state told Radio Dabanga that he has begun to collect signatures to hold the Ministers responsible for the collapse of the agricultural sector.

He asked the MPs of the farming states to sign the summons and said that the farmers have suffered terrible losses, as the focus of price has not exceeded SDG 500 ($75) per Ardeb in four years.

He said that government policies are repellent for farmers and producers that are exposed to bankruptcy and imprisonment. He demanded support for farmers and encouragement of agricultural production.

The coalition of farmers demanded an increase of the price of focus for wheat sack from SDG 400 ($60) to SDG 600 ($90) and formed a committee of ten people to pursue the case.

They farmers stressed in meeting the need to raise wheat sack price to SDG 600 and insisted not to hand their crop to the competent authorities before the announcement of the price they demand.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Ahmed Abdelbaqi said that the focus price has remained constant for more than four years.

He pointed to the rise of harvest operations and decrease of productivity, which he said does not exceed seven sacks per acre.

He explained that that there is soaring of prices of harvest, transport and the royalties and levies imposed on crop production.