The Bono Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Dennis Abugri Amenga, has rubbished claims that the region has experienced acute shortage of fertilizer.

Although he admitted that Covid-19 has partly contributed to a sharp increase in prices of agro-chemicals and other farm inputs in the country, Mr Amenga added that the increment is a global phenomenon.

He therefore advised farmers to cope with the situation, stressing that “the government is working around the clock to provide subsidies to make the prices of agriculture inputs affordable”.

That, notwithstanding, Mr Amenga stated that government managed to subsidize prices of fertilizers.

“The current market price of the agro-chemical is selling at a subsidized price of GH¢ 58 per bag but before the Covid-19 pandemic, the price of fertilizer was selling at GH¢ 48 per bag in the open market.

Mr Amenga explained that the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs policy has significantly increased food productivity in the region, indicating that the programme had motivated many farmers to expand their farms.

He said before the introduction the flagship programme in 2018, farmers were producing 1.7 tonnes of maize and 1.63 tonnes of rice per hectare, but most farmers are now producing 2.5 tonnes and 2.63 tonnes hectare of maize and rice respectively.

The Bono Regional MoFA Director noted that the policy has introduced farmers to food productivity enhancement technologies as well as made available hybrid and improved seeds to farmers.

While lauding the drastic impact of the programme in the agriculture sector within the region, Mr Amenga advised farmers who were yet to register with the programme to do so to access the benefits.

He further called for effective collaboration between the directorate, input dealers and farmers, particularly those engaged in livestock production, saying “the directorate is ready to support all farmers in the region to enhance their farming businesses for improved food productivity and security”.