Kpone-Ghana, Dec. 6, MNN – As the nation marks the 2022 national farmers’ day, scores of farmers and dealers in Agricultural implements have complained about the rising cost of these farming inputs.
Some farmers in an interview with the media at Kpone during the Municipal commemoration of the 38th National Farmers Day, which was on the theme: “Accelerating Agricultural Development through Value Addition,” called on the government to intervene.
Most of the farmers and dealers in the agricultural value chain cited the high cost of fertilizer which they said was killing interest in the farming sector.
Mr. Boakye Yiadom, of ETG Enterprise a dealer of fertilizer and agricultural inputs in Kpone said over the years the company has concentrated on the distribution of inputs such as weedicides, insecticides, farming tools, spraying machines, and many more in the agriculture sector.
He said farmers mostly use weedicides but unfortunately, in recent times the prices have escalated as compared to the price last year, which makes farmers not willing to patronize it.
Fertilizer price according to Mr. Yiadom, has moved from between GHC80.00 and GHC100.00 last year, to the current price of GHC400.00 and GHC500.00.
Mr. Yiadom appealed to the government to deal with issues affecting fertilizer subsidies in a way that the farmers can buy “if not the food prices increment will be worst in the upcoming seasons”.
Mr. Abudul Rahim Yahaya, the Assembly Member for Gbetseli Electoral Area in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality said the economic challenges are really affecting the agricultural businesses and definitely will affect the Christmas festive season.
In addition, “the high increment in the prices of fertilizer is indeed affecting farmers. Farming also depends on the usage of petroleum products in some of the machines used on the farmland, therefore, the consistent price hike is also affecting farmers,” Mr. Amidu Aliamadu also a farmer stated.
He reiterated that the hike in the prices of inputs for agriculture is making the farmers record low rates of production.
The irrigation process is another challenge even though the government has provided Michel Camp Farming Association with solar pumping water on our farms but it is not enough for us because we are many therefore we buy fuel to aid in the pumping of water, he said.
Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, Assembly Member of Gbetseli Electoral Area in Kpone-Katamanso Municipality was decorated as the Best Meat Processor Famer.
Mr. Mahama who is a livestock and poultry farmer said over the past 25 years he has worked assiduously to push forward to attain and fortunately, the municipality has acknowledged the effort and awarded him accordingly.
Mr. Amidu Alhamidu who was adjudged the Best General Farmer gave gratitude to the Almighty God for bringing him this far, stressing that he has been in the farming fraternity for 37 good years cultivating onions, okra, maize, lettuce, also rearing livestock and guinea fowls.
“I am very excited today that in a long term it has finally gotten to my turn,” Mr. Alhamidu stated.
Madam Mercy Wayo, the Best Woman Farmer who cultivates maize, cucumber, and spring onions, has also been in the farming business for eight years said, “I am excited about the award because I least expected”.
She called on the youth to aspire to become farmers and not to give up even though farming is not an easy task surely they would be rewarded one day.
Madam Wayo also called on the youth to get more investment into farming and ignore the myth that farming is not for the youth.
