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Momodou
Denmark
11742 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Oct 2007 : 14:51:08
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GAMCOT Finally Pay Farmers After One Year Of Waiting
By Lamin Fatty
The only Cotton Company in The Gambia, GAMCOT, has finally paid farmers their 2007 cotton dues in full after waiting for almost a year.
Speaking to this reporter at his office in Basse Manneh Kunda while the payment of farmers was in progress, the Manager of the company, Mr. Amadou Danso, revealed that a total amount of D1,821,667.00 was paid to the farmers as their outstanding credit owed for the input supplied to them. He said that all the nine areas namely, Wuli East/ Central, Wuli West/Sandu, Sandu/Sami, Sabi area, Kantora, Sankulaykunda area, Jimara, Jareng and Sinchu Gundo are all paid their monies in the presence of their area presidents, who witnessed the payments and endorsed them on behalf of the farmers in their respective areas. They also attested for those who had lost their receipts to avoid denial of payment for being unable of producing receipts and helped in ensuring the smooth running of the payment process. He pointed out that the company sold the cotton to its selling agent, Kopago, which in turn sold it to Portugal. He disclosed that a total number of 745,872.5kgs of raw produce was produced. He said that after ginning there is another product called the “lint” which, according to him, amounted to 30.4457 kg. Mr. Danso said that a total of 415,950kg of seeds was also produced as a result and that the company precisely produced 745 tons of raw cotton against 400 tons last year, thus representing an 87% increase. He said that pest and insects infestation was thus encouraged but with the help of chemicals, they were better able to address those constraints. He strongly apologised to farmers for the delay and urged them to be optimistic in the cotton production and stated that the company does not belong to him but to The Gambians. He told them not to listen to critics who, according to him, are against the development of the cotton sector.
It could be recalled that a local newspaper called ‘Today’, sometime ago, reported that farmers in CRR threatened to burn down GAMCOT to ashes for failing to pay their monies. But now the company has finally acted in fulfilling its obligation.
Foroyaa will publish the interview conducted by this reporter with the farmers regarding their continued engagement in cotton production, now that they have received their monies.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 127/2007, 29 – 30 October
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