The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto says soon the Ministry of Food and Agriculture will pilot the selling of farm produce at farm gate prices at its Directorate.
Speaking to Kwame Malcolm on Empire Fm and Radio 360 and on a motley of other radio stations concurrently in the Western Region as part of his working tour of the Western North and Western Regions, Hon Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto says this move is based on an appeal from a cross-section of farmers he met during his tour.
“..It all emanates from farmers from the Western North Region that we must strive to buy their plantain and farm produce to Takoradi and Accra to sell for them. This will be a great relief to them; so I effected an announcement yesterday and notified my Chief Director on how to make preparations on getting transport to cart the produce from Bodi to the Ministry to sell it to the civil servants only, at least food will be affordable.
“Every venture you undertake pilot if it will be feasible; there is no guarantee it will be feasible, but if it will be, it will be a demonstration to all that if you go to Makola you will get it for 20 cedis but for 5 cedis at the Ministry.
It is obvious people will troop to the ministry for produce and farmers at Bodi will send their produce to be sold; we are testing the waters” he underscored.
The Minister lamented how a greater percentage of the salary of public sector workers goes into the food budget ;
“Cost of food in the capitals like Takoradi and Accra is a worry to us. Most of the wages and salaries of workers are spent on food; 40 percent of wages and salaries are spent on food so if food gets expensive it increases the hardship and we do not prefer it that way. The farmers are giving their best, the Ghanaian farmer is very hard working and it is reflecting in their output and yield. What mechanism will we use to ensure the toil of the farmer does not go waste to ensure people in Takoradi, Accra, and other areas get affordable food produce to bring them relief.” he affirmed.
Kwame Malcolm/Empire Fm/Takoradi
