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| Kwesi Ahwoi |
In the same vein, improved seeds have also been subsidised by an average of 37 per cent.
According to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Akwasi Ahwoi, the government also aims to subsidise 176,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser at the total cost of GH¢120 million and 151,000 metric tonnes certified seed at a cost of GH¢4.8 million.
In effect, a 50-kilogramme bag of fertiliser will sell at a compound price of GH¢50, while maize, rice and soyabean seeds will also go at GH¢45 and GH¢35 respectively. Mr Ahwoi announced this at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
“A total of GH¢120 million has, therefore, accrued to the government, thus making it pay about 52 per cent and above the GH¢78 million paid in 2011, resulting from increase in world market prices of fertiliser”, Mr Ahwoi said.
The abov, he said, pointed to the government’s readiness to sustain the subsidy regime aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
He,however expressed disappointment at the increasd spate of smuggling of agricultural inputs in Bawku in the Upper East Region, Jomoro in the Western Region as well as other border post communities.
The minister also cautioned against the sale of the subsidised inputs at unapproved prices and called on the general public to report such individuals and organizations to the ministry.
He also tasked regional ministers and district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives to assist in monitoring the sales and distribution of the inputs in their jurisdiction to avoid abuse.
Mr Ahwoi also announced the introduction of farmer passbook to enable farmers document their farm operations to assist in tracking the beneficiaries of the subsidy programme.
While calling on farmers to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the programme to enhance their productivity, Mr Ahwoi also charged the security agencies to protect the tax payer by enforcing stringent measures against people who might be tempted to smuggle the subsidised inputs.
A representative of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana and the President of the Seed Growers Association, Osofo Patrick Apullah, who welcomed the new development urged the government to address the delay in the distribution system to improve the programme.
The fertiliser subsidy programme was instituted by the government in 2008 to help farmers increase fertiliser application in order to increase crop production.
It is aimed at increasing the country's fertiliser application rate to at least 50 kilogrammes per hectare as recommended in the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Investment Programme by the ministry.
SOURCE: Della Russel Ocloo, Daily Graphic, Fri June 7, 2012
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