The Concerned Farmers Association has dismissed assertions that there is food shortage in the system, saying there’s rather adequate food in the system.

According to the President of the Association, Nana Oboadie Opambour Bonsu II, middlemen along the agricultural value chain have inflated prices at urban centres, therefore causing a surge in food prices and consequently increasing food inflation.

He however stated that the association is working with the Ghana Standards Authority to set standards to regulate pricing on the market.

“In Ghana, we do not have a standard price, everyone sells at the price they want. Hence, we’re collaborating with farmer organisations like the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen and the Ghana Standards Authority to implement a scaling system so that all food items will be measured”.

“Although, we’re aware of the increase in fuel prices, the rate at which the market traders are selling the produce is shocking. However, we want to assure the general public that there’s enough food in the system so they shouldn’t panic”, he stressed.

Nana Bonsu II blamed loopholes along the agricultural value chain on bad road networks.

According to him, the inability of farmers to transport goods from the farm gates to the markets has enabled middlemen to exploit consumers.

“The only challenge we have is the transport system. There are some places where the road networks are bad, hence the delay in moving the produce from the farm gates to the markets,” he added.

Philip Acquah, a farmer, called on the government to fast-track processes in standardising scales on the markets.

“There is bumper harvest, so there’s the need to convey the foodstuffs from the farms to the markets so the citizens can have access to it. The problem is pricing. At some places, they hike the prices which demotivates consumers from purchasing”.

“This is a great challenge. We want the Ghana Standards Authority to speed up the implementation of the scaling system,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, Nana Bonsu II highlighted that should government fulfill its promise of providing trucks to transport food from the farm gates to the markets, most of the challenges will be addressed.

“We heard that the Agric Ministry announced that there’s going to be a truck system to help convey the foodstuff from the farm gates. We are so happy about this and we believe that if this is implemented in time, most of these challenges will be addressed,” he said.