Sudanese farmers: ‘Sorghum prices unprofitable’

Farmers from El Gedaref have criticised the new price offered by the Agricultural Bank for sorghum, which amounted to SDG270 ($40) for a sack. They describe the slight increase of SDG20 ($3) as unprofitable.

A farmer from Galelnahal locality told Radio Dabanga that the new price is not commensurate with the rising cost of production.

He said: “The price of fuel [fir cultivation] in rural areas has risen to SDG 1,070 ($160), with an increase of SDG150 ($22.45).”

He pointed to the doubling of the prices of spare parts and called on the Agricultural Bank to raise the price of a sack to SDG 350 ($52,40) so that the farmers can at least cover the costs of production.

Another farmer warned of the dire consequences of sticking to the new price and pointed out that farmers are threatened with imprisonment for rising debt.

He highlighted that Ethiopian farmers are reluctant to work in Sudan’s agricultural projects because of the fall of the Sudanese Pound against the Dollar and other problems facing the agricultural activity in the state.

He complained of the high administrative costs of the Agricultural Bank’s funding and lamented that the market price of sorghum has dropped to SDG360 ($54) per Ardab.

He accused the Agricultural Bank of complicating funding procedures, relying on favouritism and bribes, and delaying procedures.

He added that agricultural insurance companies are not committed to payment in a timely manner.

Fraud

In May, the head of the El Gedaref parliament has reportedly called on the MPs not to talk to the media about a fraud case within the state government. 

Mohamed Abdallah El Mardi demanded from the MPs “not to talk to any media about the five million kilograms of sorghum sold at the state markets,” an activist told Radio Dabanga from El Gedaref town.

The sorghum was supposed to be sold to a specific company owned by influential members of the El Gedaref government for export purposes. Yet, the staple food was not exported, but “exploited by the company in internal transactions” and sold at the state markets.

“The sale of these huge quantities has flooded the markets with sorghum and resulted in a large drop in prices. The state itself lost more than SDG 42 million ($6,3 million) of revenues from this fraudulent deal,” the source stated.