Some farmers in Ghana say they are so far disappointed in the government as cost of agricultural inputs continue to rise.
The ruling New Patriotic Party led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made several promises to Ghanaian farmers that raised their hopes. Barely ten months into office, farmers are beginning to lament the inability of the government to subsidize significantly agro inputs for them.
One farmer told rawgist.com’s Bernard Buachi “Cocoa farmers are now buying fertilizers at 80 cedis per bag; something that was given free of charge under the erstwhile John Mahama led government”.
He also laments that spraying of their farms have ceased; a situation that threatens productivity.
Joseph Yammin; a poultry farmer and a politician also confirmed that it is currently not a good time to be a farmer. “Regarding poultry, the cost of every thing has gone up under this government”. He explains that materials for the preparation of poultry feed such as maize, soya beans, wheat bran, concentrate, shells have all gone up.
“Maize used to be 55 cedis per 50kg as at December. It’s ranging between 65 to 70 now, concentrate depending on the type was ranging from 170 to 210 Cedis as at December but currently costs 190 to 240 per bag”.
“Even the cost of medication for the fowls have doubled this year and has made life very difficult for us farmers.”. He laments that all the cost will be passed on to the consumer.
In a related issue, a lecturer at the faculty of Agriculture-KNUST; Prof. Simon Fialor confirmed that “the input market is relatively tough now”. “Even the general prices of vegetables for example have gone up”, he added.
He explained that inputs for poultry feed for example are mainly short term maturing crops and hence “input prices this year are reflected in output prices of those crops the same year”.
