By: Dawda .M. Jallow
Fish vendors at the Brikama Central Market have blamed the increasing exchange rate of CFA against the Dalasi as the main contributing factor to the high cost of fish in the market.
Speaking with The Voice on Thursday, some vendors also state that the shortage of fish is connected to the Muslim feast (Tobaski), saying most of the fishing boat owners are non-Gambians and have gone to their respective origins for the prayer.
Ba-Kebba Drammeh, a fish vendor, claims they face a lot of challenges with regard to the cost of CFA, adding that after all the struggles they make, it all end up subduing its benefits to Senegalese as CFA had advantage over the dalasi. Drammeh explains that the cost of a pan of fish was costing D1,200, which has now drastically increased to D1,450 due to a decline in the value of the dalasi.
“We have family to feed and other responsibilities to carry out. If the situation continues like this, it is better to find an alternative and rather than doing business as a means of survival,” he stressed. He says that everyone engages on business to gain profit but not to incur loss. He laments that the current situation is enriching other nationals and making Gambians poorer.
Sulayman Gassama also discloses that he has been working as a fisherman for more than 16 years, citing that the present situation is the worst moment for the business as long as he can remember. “It is not only us alone complaining about the CFA, but all the other business sectors are complaining as well,” he noted.
Amadou Mballow, Mariama Njie, and Lamin Jawara all highlight similar challenges the fish industry is facing in The Gambia.
