Groundnuts are grown throughout The Gambia and constitute one of the country’s key exports. It can be grown in almost all parts of The Gambia, with current production concentrated along the north bank and south bank areas. Groundnuts constitute the single largest cash crop in the country.
Who introduced groundnuts to the Gambia?
The introduction of the groundnut (commonly known as the peanut) to the Gambia was by the Portuguese in the 16th century from a Brazilian species. Up until the 1830s it was grown by Gambians for domestic consumption only and not for agricultural export. It was later introduced in The Gambia by the British as a cash crop.
What happened to groundnuts in the Gambia?
Barges along the river transported the groundnuts down from the up-country regions to Banjul. Farmers were able to obtain credit from the Gambia Commercial & Development Bank. GPMB was later bankrupted and sold off to a company called Alimenta S.A. in 1993 who re-named it the Gambia Groundnut Corporation.
Does Gambia have a monopoly on groundnuts?
The groundnut subsector in The Gambia was for many years subject to State control through The Gambia Produce Marketing Board (GPMB), which held a monopoly on groundnut trading, processing, and marketing.