Peasant Farmers are warning food prices could escalate in the coming days if government does not take immediate steps to address the short supply of subsidized fertilizer in parts in the North of the country. There have been delays in the distribution of the fertilizer to farmers in several areas in the 3 regions of the north for the current farming season. This has sparked fears food production and food prices could be adversely affected. Programmes Coordinator of the Ghana Peasant Farmers Association, Victoria Adongo says even though a perennial phenomenon, the increase in demand has compounded the problem this year. “Aside the fact that farmers have increased in number, they are also beginning to use fertilizer in larger quantities yet the volumes supplied remain same. Initially when the subsidy programme started, it was targeting small scale farmers but now all farmers are on board but there hasn’t been any commensurate increase in volumes supplied. "The other challenge especially in the North is the smuggling of fertilizer across our borders. Our farmers from Garu-Timpanes told me they are buying compound fertilizer form the black market at the cost of Gh¢50 and most of them are unable to afford. This could adversely affect food production and thereby cause a rise in prices” she said.