Sudan: El Gezira authorities threaten to remove sesame crop by force

The authorities in the El Maaleig area in Sudan’s El Gezira state have threatened a number of farmers that they will remove their sesame crop planted in the current summer season by force.

Authorities have threatened to impose fines on the farmers if they do not respond to the decision to remove the crop on the grounds that sesame attracts agricultural pests that in turn threaten the cotton crop.

Farmers said that the sesame crop which has been cultivated has already reached the fertiliser stage.

The farmers wondered about the payment of the financial loss caused by the removal of the sesame. They say that cultivation of four acres costs about SDG1,000 ($150), including preparing the ground, cutting, flattening, and buying fertilisers.