Lack of fuel in eastern Sudan’s El Gedaref puts harvest at risk

Farmers in El Gedaref state are complaining about a lack of fuel. They are concerned that the shortage of diesoline will lead to the failure of the current agricultural season. 

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, a farmer said that the price of a barrel of diesoline at the black market has risen to SDG750 ($124). “We are forced to buy the fuel for this price, as we need it to irrigate our crops. Yet, we fear that the agricultural season will not yield much this year.”

The parliamentary caucus of El Gedaref will question the federal Ministers of Finance and Agriculture about the difficulties facing the farmers in the state.

Independent MP Mubarak El Nur Abdallah, accused the government for not providing diesoline to the farmers so far. He further condemned the Shikan Insurance Company for demanding the amount of SDG24,000 ($4,000) from the farmers for the insurance of their crops.

El Gezira

The director of El Gezira Agricultural Scheme dismissed six “highly qualified engineers” earlier this month. “No reasons were given,” an angry farmer reported to Radio Dabanga. He said that the dismissal will “certainly affect the agricultural season”.