The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has expressed worry over soaring prices of farm inputs.

According to them, the high prices make farming expensive.

“Cost of farming is becoming extremely expensive for peasant farmers as prices of almost all farm inputs have more than quadrupled.

President of PFAG, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Mohammed, believes subsidies on the farm inputs will be crucial in cushioning farmers.

“One bag of fertilizer today is going for about GHC350 to GHC400 which used to be around GHC100 in 2019.

He made this statement when the Board members of the Asociation paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.

Alhaji Abdul Rahman Mohammed also bemoaned the fact that high interest rate in Ghana has led to high cost of agricultural production.

“While other countries are giving zero interest for agricultural loans, interest rate for farming in Ghana is over 30%.

He warned that about 100,000 people in the rice value chain risk losing their livelihood with the implementation of the benchmark discount value.

He said the policy has resulted in the reduction in the final cost of imported goods.

“The universal application of this policy meant a drastic reduction in the final cost of imported goods including rice, palm oil and poultry.

“An estimated 100,000 persons who are directly engaged in rice value chain activities stand the risk of losing their livelihoods if the benchmark discount policy reversal is not implemented as planned,” he noted.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also asked the government to institute policies to encourage more people, especially the youth to take up farming.

“The country cannot be importing food from other countries. Providing logistics to the framers will help them give more,” he said.

The Association took the opportunity to invite Otumfuo to their upcoming Annual General Meeting in March this year.