Farmers cry over high cost of farm inputs

Farmers in Aninkroma, a farming community in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region, say the high cost of farm inputs is affecting crop yields, warning that there could be possible food shortages if government does not intervene.

According to the farmers, aside the high cost of farm inputs, they experience poor pricing and lack of ready market when they harvest their farm produce.

In an interview with this reporter, the spokesperson for the farmers Mr Daniel Osea lamented about the hikes in farm inputs, thus compelling them to farm at below average capacity.

The farmers bemoaned that, the over 50 percent hike in farm inputs like fertilizer and agrochemicals products is making the venture more challenging and thus negatively affecting crop yields.

The 40-year-old farmer Daniel Osea indicated that the cost of farm inputs is very high whilst access to loans is also a difficult task, a situation he said is making it difficult for many farmers to go into farming this year.

Daniel Osea cited that a weedicide gramoxone which was sold around GH¢10.00 last year is now sold at GH¢40.00.

He added that fertilizer is currently sold between GH¢450 and GH¢500, stressing that "if a farmer doesn’t have the money, he cannot farm."

Daniel Osae called on the government, and for that matter, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to help reduce farm input for farmers to enable them continue their businesses without impediment.

Daniel noted that working as a group using modern methods in their farming, he usually employs 50 casual labourers every three months to assist him in his pepper, garden eggs, and tomatoes farms.

He said he has been using farming to create job opportunities for many youths in rural areas but his current problems are the high cost of farming inputs and access to credit facilities.