Eastern Sudanese farmers fear failure of agricultural season

24/12/2017 10:52 EL GEDAREF

Farmers in eastern Sudan’s El Gedaref are warning of the failure of the current agricultural season because of deteriorating working conditions.
“The sharp price increases in the prices for sacking and transportation, and a lack of labourers are threatening the successful harvest of sorghum, sunflowers,” farmer Mustafa Sayed Khalil told Radio Dabanga.
“The costs of cutting and cleaning an ardeb (189 kg) of sorghum for instance have risen to SDG 160 ($23),” he complained. “In addition, we now have pay more than SDG 30 ($4.30) for filling one 100kg sack.”
He pointed out that the El Gedaref Ministry of Finance “has significantly increased in marketing fees for crops, to SDG 12 for a (100 kg) sack of sorghum and SDG 15 for a sack of sesame”.

Farmers in eastern Sudan’s El Gedaref are warning of the failure of the current agricultural season because of deteriorating working conditions.

“The sharp price increases in the prices for sacking and transportation, and a lack of labourers are threatening the successful harvest of sorghum, sunflowers,” farmer Mustafa Sayed Khalil told Radio Dabanga.

“The costs of cutting and cleaning an ardeb (189 kg) of sorghum for instance have risen to SDG 160 ($23),” he complained. “In addition, we now have pay more than SDG 30 ($4.30) for filling one 100kg sack.”

He pointed out that the El Gedaref Ministry of Finance “has significantly increased in marketing fees for crops, to SDG 12 for a (100 kg) sack of sorghum and SDG 15 for a sack of sesame”.