for ground-nuts in 1984/85 is estimated at only 45,000 tons, less than half of the previous year. l0l. Cotton production dropped severely from 2,400 metric tons of seed cotton in Lg82/83 to 11170 metric tons in 1983/84, a decline of 51 per cent' Hovtever' the Government is still determined to intensify efforts for the rapid expansion of cotton production. The Government also continued to place emphasis on the need t'o improve Ehe nutritional standards of the people by providing cheap and good quality fish for local consumption from artisanal fisheries' 4. Government finances 102. Recurrent revenues have increased significantly in the last tno years owing in part Co improved tax yields and new tax measures. Deficits on current accountr however, persisted. Ggvernment measures to restrain expenditures were more than offset by a 55 per cent increase in debt service charges, from D 25.4 million in Lgg3/g4 to D 43.5 million in 1984/85. De-bt service now amounts to over 25 per cent of domestic exports and is projected to ihcrease. For the last three years debt servicing has been the largest single line in the @vernment budgetl in the L984/85 estimates it was, for example, over three times as large as the allocation for the Ministry of Vlorks and Communications. 103. The financing reguired to cover the deficit on current account and development expenditures amounted to 15 per cent of GDP in L983/84. In recent years approximately two thirds of this financing has come from foreign grants and loans, with the remainder from the domestic banking system and parastatals'A/40 /44L English Page 38 Recurrent re\renue Recurrent expenditure Balance on current account Development expenditure Total expenditure Financing gapTable 19 (Millions of Dalasis) Actuals L982/83 10s.6 L29.6 -24.0 4 3.8 L73.4 -67.8Revised estimates 1983/r98s 150.5 155.0 -14.5 75.2 240.2 -89.7Estimates 1984/r98s L72.6 rpo. e. -8.3 154.9 33s.8
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic situation of a country, specifically the decline in cotton production, the increase in debt service charges, and the deficit on current account. It also mentions the government's efforts to improve the nutritional standards of the people and the importance of artisanal fisheries. The text is focused on the economic development and natural resources of the country.

**Category**
Economic development, Agriculture, forestry and fishing