Prices of maize are increasing at a staggering rate this year at the cost of about GH¢600 per bag in northern Ghana where the commodity is largely produced in the country.
Consumers are worried that prices may hit unbearably levels early next year if drastic measures are not taken to reverse the trend.
The rising cost of the cereal has been attributed to poor yields due to high cost of fertilizer and a long drought during the crop season as a result of the impact of climate change.
Export of maize to neighbouring countries, according to information gathered, is also contributing to shortage and soaring prices of the produce.
The apparent scarcity of the commodity has occasioned the government of Ghana in November 2022 to impose a temporary ban on the export of grains including maize.
A special assignment carried out by THE CUSTODIAN in the Upper East Region has found out that farmers were challenged by the cost of fertilizer, inputs and agricultural mechanization services during the crop season.
Rev John Akaribo, Chairman of the Bolgatanga Municipal Peasant Farmers Association in an interview said, “for this particular crop season our main cereal like maize is very difficult to come by, very difficult in such that we’re foreseeing scarcity in the near future. I am not trying to create panic among people but if at this season maize is supposed to see the lowest price, if anything at all, around 250 or 300 cedis but it has already escalated above 500 cedis, then you can see the dangers ahead.
“I had a chat with my counterparts in the Upper West Region yesterday and they were telling me the most area you can get maize at the cheapest price is Tumu and if Tumu just at the farm gate, its going for about 550 and 560 cedis then you can imagine if it is moved inside how much will it go?
According to him, the high cost of the commodity is as a result of poor yields this season, explaining the weather was not conducive due to the climate change.
“At the time that we were not expecting drought, we had a severe drought for about a month and some farmers had to replant and that brought about the low yields. Apart from that, inputs were also a problem for us this season because fertilizers were not enough and farmers had to struggle for fertilizer and the cost too was another factor.
“So if one was doing about 20acres as a commercial farmer, you were forced to reduce to about 10 or 15acres because you cannot afford to buy the fertilizer. And the subsidized fertilizer was going for about 320 cedis for 50kg meaning if you want to apply ten bags to your farm that means you need 3,200 cedis, which doesn’t even include transportation to where you’re sending it to, that doesn’t also include labour” he explained.
Agric mechanization
The Chairman also indicated the difficulty in accessing tractor service among other agricultural mechanized services, which he lamented, greatly affected early land preparation before planting.
Maize export
When asked about the export of maize to neighbouring West African countries, Rev John Akaribo intimated this was nothing new in the area and revealed that there is high demand for the commodity in the market now.
“Some years back, we will rather go to Burkina Faso to buy maize and this time round they come to buy from us, I think they are anticipating the high cost, they are anticipating shortage and where it is, those are businesswomen – they are market queens, you can’t control the market that they shouldn’t sell to Burkinabes. It is not the Burkinabes who come directly to buy, there are agents and you can’t restrict somebody not to sell his or her produce” he asserted.
Ghana Buffer Stock
Rev John believes the Ghana Buffer Stock could’ve bought these grains if the government was serious about promoting food security in the country and to avoid scarcity of the commodity in the country.
Meanwhile, on the enforcement of the ban on export of cereals, the Upper East Regional Plant Protection and Regulatory Services (PPRS) Officer, Mr. Simon Atombil Yakubu, stated the notice of the ban was sent to all quarantine officers stationed at the entering points and they are working in close collaboration with the immigration and customs to ensure the full compliance of traders.
However, he said the department cannot comment on what happens through the illegal routes in the area but reiterated with full confidence that nobody is allowed to transport cereals outside the Ghanaian jurisdiction.
One of market queens, Hajia Abibata, who has been in the trade for over three decades and also a farmer herself corroborated the scarcity of maize in the market.
“I have not been able to farm this year because of the cost of fertilizer. We currently buy a bag at 400 cedis plus when you go to the village and there is transportation cost and labour and even now some sell it at 550 cedis per bag”, she said.
She asserted there is no profit in the maize business this year maintaining this would affect their incomes and living conditions.
