Deputy Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has criticised the underutilisation of the National Food Buffer Stock Company.

According to him, the underutilisation is as a result of politicisation rather than its intended purpose.

He stated that the National Food Buffer Stock Company was not primarily established to support the school feeding programme, contrary to some perceptions.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on August 27, he said, “We have always not utilised the national buffer stock for one reason."

"It was just political inciting between the last minister of agriculture and the CEO of buffer stock. The core activity was for the buffer stock to have licensed buying companies of subsidiary across the country.”

According to Mr Jasaw, each year, the Buffer Stock sets commodity prices for grains based on production costs.

“If a bag of maize is 50 cedis, the buffer stock will add a margin and make it 60 cedis, so that the farmer can be encouraged to sell to the market or the buffer stock and yet not run at a loss. That way the farmer is encouraged to continue producing in subsequent years,” he explained.

However, he pointed out that the Buffer Stock has failed to fulfill this role effectively.

“So they don’t announce commodity prices, they don’t have money to go and buy excess food produce in the market and so what happens is that, the farmers also cannot hold this produce. They do not have good storage and processing systems.”

"We should stop the politics of it. We have a reality. We have a challenge on the ground and our population is at the risk of food insecurity,” he said.