A grim picture Dr. Jaiteh. Quite a grim picture. Thanks for helping us see 
the finer subtext to the roaring thousands. They don't sound very thousand 
after all.

Baba


>From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Groundnut bean-counting
>Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:04:49 -0500
>
>Groundnut bean-counting in today's Kambia
>
>Total no. of farmer householders in The Gambia = 70,000
>Total no. of households growing groundnut = 57,000
>Average farmer household-size = 5 persons
>Population of groundnut farmes = 285,000 (2002 agr census)
>Assuming 3 out of 5 persons per household spend only 5 hrs per day for 120 
>days in the year on the farm  = 1800 hours work
>
>Average annual groundnut production for all Gambia = 150,000 tonnes
>Average production per household 2.6 tonnes (2600 kg)
>Assuming averge household sell 70% of annual production (taking into 
>account 20% post harvest loss; 10 percent home consumption - average sales 
>2 tonnes)
>2 tonnes of groundnut = 2000kg @ D7,200 per tonne = D14,400
>
>Average income per household from sale of groundnuts D14,400
>Average per capita earnings from groundnuts for the year - D2880 - $130 US 
>- or D8 per hour 30 cents US Dollar
>
>
>Assuming following commodity prices at www.Raaki.com never changed
>a 50 kg bag of Saddam rice - D700
>1 charlo or  kobo D7
>Omela canned milk D15
>school fees at ICE D4,500 per yr
>1 egg D6
>1 small imported chicken D75
>
>Other assumptions:
>No commercial inputs such as fertilizer, no rice from Thailand consumed to 
>do farm work period, no transportation cost to the secco, no sales tax  
>and....
>...the  "Kopartive" (Coorperative) clerk is a god-sent angel
>
>
>
>Malanding Jaiteh
>
>
>  2008 marketing season starts today D7,200 per metric ton
>
>Africa <http://observer.gm/africa/news> » Gambia 
><http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/news>
>Monday, December 10, 2007
>The 2007/2008 groundnut marketing season  will start today, Monday, 
>December 10, 2007, according to reports from the Agribusiness Services and 
>Producers Association (ASPA).
>
>ASPA which is the inter-professional body vested with the management of the 
>Gambian groundnut sub-sector also announced that the groundnut producer 
>price of D7, 200.00 dalasis per metric ton farm gate for the 2007/08 
>groundnut marketing season.
>
>This year's price is an increase of D700.00 per metric ton over last year's 
>price and compares quite favourably with what pertains in the sub-region.
>
>According to ASPA, all Cooperative Marketing Societies (CPMS), Private 
>Traders and any agent wishing to participate in groundnut buying at primary 
>level (Secco), are requested to prepare their equipment and clean their 
>secco grounds accordingly.
>
>ASPA also reminds all those wishing to participate in this year's groundnut 
>marketing season that they must register with ASPA, be issued with a 
>registration certificate and comply with the eligibility criteria for 
>participation in the 2007/2008 groundnut marketing season, which amongst 
>other things requires prompt payment to the farmers for deliveries.
>
>ASPA assured groundnut producers that this year's producer price was 
>arrived at, using the officially recognised producer price determination 
>mechanism, which takes into account the World Market Price for groundnut 
>products as well as parameters and ratios relevant to the domestic 
>marketing system.
>
>Farmers in the country are urged to sell their produce through the existing 
>marketing outlets.
>
>by Alhagie Jobe
>
>
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