The Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afiriyie Akoto has described untrue claims of food shortage in the country
According to the Minister, data evidence presented by the various regional agricultural directorates point to the availability of enough food in the country with stable farm gate prices.
He said claims by some analysts of looming famine in the country next year are mere speculations with no data evidence.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the high food prices are not a result of food shortage but rather being fuelled by rising fuel prices, high cost of agrochemicals, and other external factors including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has affected importation.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture DR. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said this Saturday, June 18, 2022, in an interview with the media after touring parts of the Eastern region to end the first leg of his annual regional tour to farms and processing facilities in the agricultural value chain
The Minister started the tour on Monday, June 13, 2022, in Ahafo then visited Bono, Bono East, Ashanti, and ended in the Eastern region.
“One of the motivations for us to come this time round is this whole issue about food prices being high and the explanation the people are giving is the fact that there is a shortage of food. We know from our visits that, that is not true. The observations we’ve made in markets and enclaves around Tachiman, Ejura, etc show very clearly. we were able to identify 25,000metric tons of maize from last year which is in stock. That still exists in the markets. That is not counting what is up in the Northern part of this country so there is food from last year and as you can see the rains have been very good in the next one month the new harvest will start coming in so we are the well stock of food”
They stressed that “Any talk of famine in Ghana or shortage of food in Ghana in the coming year is pure speculations. The reality is different. The data that we have been presented by the various directorates of agriculture supports the view that we have a very healthy, robust agriculture system which has been spiked by planting for food and jobs”
In the Eastern region, the minister visited Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC) at Otareso in the Akuapem North Municipality, PINORA/Sono fruit juice manufacturing company all in West Akim District, SAHMEN FARMS at Mepom in Asamankese district and ended at TQ Farms at Akim Krodua in the Upper West Akim District.
He also held a meeting with staff of the Ministry of Agriculture in the Eastern Region including District Directors and extension officers. Present at the meeting held at the Regional Coordinating Council were also various farmers’ associations.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
