By Dawda Baldeh
Claim: The price of rice in The Gambia ranges from D1,700 to D1,900, while sugar was priced at D2,600 before Ramadan but dropped to D2,400 during Ramadan.
Verdict: False. President Adama Barrow’s assertion that the price of rice in The Gambia is between D1,700 and D1,900 and that sugar was D2,600 before Ramadan and dropped to D2,400 during Ramadan is incorrect.
Full Text:
On March 30, 2025, during an address to Muslim elders in Banjul at the State House, Gambian President Adama Barrow stated that the price of a bag of rice was between D1,700 and D1,900 and that the cost of a bag of sugar had decreased from D2,600 to D2,400.
The claim was made between 53 to 54 minutes in a 1:01:31 video livestream on Kerr Fatou online media.
This remark was made during his Eid speech to Banjul Muslim elders, a customary gathering organised by the head of state on Eid day following Ramadan.
Verification:
The Fatu Network carried out a random investigation into rice prices across various regions of the country to confirm the validity of the claim.
Momodou Jallow, a shopkeeper in Brikamaba, a rural area in the Central River Region, reported that a 50-kg bag of rice cost between D2,300 and D2,350, while a 50-kg bag of sugar was priced between D2,650 and D2,600 during Ramadan.
Jallow attributed the price rise to factors such as transportation expenses and the inflation of the CFA.
In Farafenni, a town in the North Bank Region, the price of American rice was noted to be between D2,250 and D2,400, significantly higher than the D1,700–D1,900 range mentioned by the president.
“During Ramadan, I purchased five bags of 50kg rice for D11,250, each costing D2,250.
Sugar in Farafenni is priced at D2,700, which is quite high,” stated Modou Gaye, a resident of Farafenni.
However, our investigation found that the lowest price for a 50kg bag of rice currently available in The Gambia is D2,000, which surpasses the price range indicated by the president.
Jah Oil, a major Gambian-owned oil company engaged in large-scale rice production through Jah Agro Farm, sells their locally produced rice at a wholesale price of D2,000 and a retail price of D2,050.
Accordingly, a 50-kg bag of American rice, the most widely consumed rice in the E country, is presently priced between D2,250 and D2,350 and can even reach D2,400 in some areas.
In January, Jah Agro Farm imported rice from India, offering it at wholesale prices of D1,950 and retail prices of D2,000.
Although Jah Oil has expressed plans to lower the price of rice to between D1,500 and D1,700, this reduction has not yet occurred, as locally produced rice is not yet available in the market.
Our investigation indicated that even in the Greater Banjul Area, the cheapest 50kg bag of rice costs at least D2,000, while 50kg of sugar is priced at D2,700.
On March 1, 2025, The Alkamba Times, a Gambian online news outlet, published an article highlighting public frustration over price increases at the start of Ramadan.
“Last year, a 50kg bag of rice was around D1,600. Today, it’s nearing D2,300,” remarked Alpha Jallow, a rice trader, as reported by The Alkamba Times.
Conclusion:
The assertion that the price of rice in The Gambian markets is currently between D1,700 and D1,900 and that sugar was at D2,600 before Ramadan and dropped to D2,400 during the holy month is false as this doesn’t reflect reality on the market when prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket.
