The rising cost of tomatoes and deepening challenges in cocoa production dominated discussions at the 8th edition of the annual gathering of queenmothers known as the Gathering of Royals.
The queenmothers, drawn from across the country, called for urgent, practical interventions to address what they described as growing threats to food security and farmers’ livelihoods.
The event, organised by the Agrihouse Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, focused on agricultural social impact, capacity building and innovation to offer women in agriculture the opportunity to voice their views with concerns to agriculture.
Cocoa sector
The Deputy Managing Director for the Cocoa Processing Company Limited (CPC), Fatima Amoadu, raised concern about the low level of cocoa processing in the country, estimating that about 80 per cent of cocoa was exported in its raw form instead of being processed locally.
She commended the government on the recent decision to process at least 50 per cent of cocoa in the country, adding that aged and outdated machinery continued to slow productivity, with many cocoa farmers relying on equipment decades old.
“We have the capacity of annual production of 64,000 tonnes, but currently, we are unable to even make 3,000 tonnes”, she said.
She, however, said that access to processing facilities remained a major challenge, as farmers depended heavily on the Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) without adequate support to add value to their produce.
Tomato prices
Panellists, who were queenmothers at a discussion, said the recent price increases on tomatoes were due to cross-border trade disruptions, including the Burkina Faso ban on tomato exportation.
They explained that supply had not completely dried up and that there were limited local alternatives, adding that the cost of transport, post-harvest losses and lack of storage facilities continued to push prices up.
Challenges
The panellists also raised concerns about some challenges traders faced in the market, including the conversion of market spaces into residential areas, which reduced trading capacity and affected supply chains.
They said poor storage systems also forced traders to sell quickly at lower margins or risk losing their produce.
Transport emerged as another critical issue, with farmers struggling to move produce from farms to markets, leading to post-harvest losses as it rots en route due to a poor road network.
Call
The queenmothers urged the government to intensify support for farmers through subsidies, access to fertilisers and funding for modern equipment.
They also called for the construction of dams to support irrigation and ensure year-round farming.
The Member of Parliament for the Korley Klottey Constituency and Chief Patron of the Gathering of the Royals, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, said, “tailored policies for farmers in the cocoa sector are necessary,” adding that targeted interventions would help boost productivity and incomes.
The President of the Greater Accra Market Association, Nana Afrowa Dade Padua, said there was strength in unity among traders and farmers, urging continued collaboration to address shared challenges.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh