Uniform price for palm fruits essential

Members of the Benso, Adum Banso and BOPP Smallholder Association have called on the ruling NDC to come out with a uniform price for fresh palm fruits produced in the country by hardworking farmers.

According to them the existing disparities in the prices of the produce is not in any way helping to alleviate poverty amongst many farmers.

The 'statesman' learnt that a tonne of fresh palm fruits is currently being bought at GHc 7.2 by Management of Benso Oil Palm Plantation whereas other sister companies like Norpalm and Ayiem Oil Mills offer GHc 14 for the same quantity.

Unfortunately, members of the association cannot sell their produce to these companies as a result of a signed agreement between them and the Management of BOPP. The Public Relations Officer of the association, Fiifi Ampong, made the call on behalf of the over 438 members at their Annual General Meeting which took place at the factory last Saturday.

He lamented that these price disparities are impacting negatively on the finances of the farmers since almost all of them have contracted loans to undertake their farming activities. This Reporter gathered that apart from buying their produce at a relatively cheaper price, the company is requesting farmers working on their land to surrender their farms to it after twenty-five years.

This clause which is contained in a Memorandum of Understanding was vehemently kicked against by the farmers at the Meeting.  They agitated for its review. Mr. Ampong said to help solve the differences in prices of palm fruits, there was the need for government to set up a board to look into the issue and come out with a uniform price for the produce.

This move, he said, would not only bring transparency into the oil palm business but also restore the smiles on the faces of the farmers, particularly those working with BOPP.

He said another problem confronting members of the association was the high prices of fertilizers and called for government subsidy on them. The Public Relations Officer explained that the farmers have to apply twenty -four bags each of Sodium Sulphate of Ammonia, Murate of Potash and Urea fertilizers on every ten hectare plantation per year.

A bag of fertilizer costs GHc 40 and this is really draining the farmers' coffers. In a brief remark, a Development Consultant and Service Provider for the association, Lynda Arthur, advised the farmers to put in place numerous committees that would articulate their problems to government and other non-governmental organizations for redress.

She commended the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund for initiating a project for the farmers to better their lives.