Minister of Agriculture: Export Crops Are a Priority

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Abu Bakr Omar Al-Bushra, confirmed that export crops are a priority for the ministry. He highlighted the high productivity of maize and millet farming in the summer season of 2024.

During a meeting at his office with the Agriculture and Forests Committee of the Blue Nile, led by Abdul Hamid Adam Mukhtar, and representatives from the Gezira Project, led by Abdel Salam Al-Shami, and in the presence of the National Coordinator of Producers’ Organizations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Eng. Omar Taha Al-Bashir, discussions were held on how to activate producers’ organizations in the Blue Nile and Gezira regions. Al-Bushra clarified that 17 million acres of maize were planted in 2024, as it is a food security crop, emphasizing that future efforts will focus on export crops, quality control, and reducing taxes and levies on agricultural exports.

He also revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture, in coordination with relevant authorities, is planning to establish model production associations in every state to implement value chains from producer to consumer and for export. He confirmed the ministry’s support for producers’ organizations, declaring this year as the year of agricultural associations.

Abdul Hamid Adam provided a detailed explanation of the Al-Qala’a Specialty Association in the Blue Nile State, noting their partnerships with the private sector and stating that the association has several offices abroad. He stressed the need to improve our agricultural exports through value chains and implementing good agricultural practices to make our products competitive in global markets. He also emphasized the need to support smart partnerships between associations and the private sector, as well as enacting a law for contractual farming.

Meanwhile, Abdel Salam Al-Shami of the Gezira Project Producers’ Organizations confirmed their full conviction in the law regulating agricultural and livestock production professions, stressing the need for the ministry to focus on this law, especially in terms of capacity building.