Dwindling size of kenkey as farmers celebrate their day…

Every first Friday in the month of December is set aside to celebrate industrious farmers who through their efforts have kept food on our tables through out the year.

In keeping with this norm, this year's Farmers' day celebration, like any other was declared a public holiday and was commemorated on the 2nd of December 2011.

Farmers' day brings to mind food stuffs and other agricultural products that go in and out of our homes each day.

Agricultural produce in recent times has seen a tremendous increase in its prices in the country and this has had a rippling effect on food that is prepared from such products.

Kenkey, a local delicacy has been affected by the rising price of maize on the market.

Recent checks by Xfm's News Extra has revealed an increase in the price of a ball of kenkey, yet a dwindle in the size of the local delicacy.

A ball of kenkey which was sold at 40 pesewas a few months ago has now increased to 50 pesewas; a price that does not tally with the size of the ball.

In an interview with the owner of a popular kenkey joint in Osu, the increase in the price of a ball of kenkey has been attributed to an increase in the price of maize.

She explained that a bag of maize which used to sell at 90 cedis (900,000 old cedis) now goes for 120 cedis (1,200,000 old cedis), an increase she says has influenced the new prices.

She added that the increase in the price of maize was due to the lack of rainfall which had affected the quantity that is produced hence an increase in the price of the staple food by farmers.

She explained that money for pepper, firewood and all other accompaniments that make the kenkey business thrive is deducted from what is acquired from the maize hence the adjustment in the price and size of the ball.

This year's National Farmers Day was celebrated at Nsabaa in the Agona East District of the Central Region on the 2nd of December.

All Research Institutions in the country are expected to make public their findings on how to increase productivity in the agricultural sector at the event.

This is part of government's determination to use modern technology to boost food and livestock productivity.

Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kwesi Ahwoi, said this at the launch of this year's Farmers Day and sponsors Dinner in Accra.

Story by Ghana/Vincent Baffour Acheampong/ Xfm 95.1