Upper West farmers complain of absence of subsidized fertilizer

Some farmers in Upper West Region say the non-availability of subsidized fertilizer was worrying and appealed to the government to state its position clearly, to allay their fears.

“We do not want to waste our energies, monies and seeds on our farms when there is no sign of fertilizers”, the farmers complained.

Some farmers’ groups from Lawra, Jirapa and Nadowli Districts expressed the fear that they would not achieve much yields from their crops without applying fertilizers on them.

According to them, the cropping season had started and some farmers had sown their crops and were awaiting the arrival of government’s subsidized fertilizers to buy.

The farmers said, any further delay in the arrival of fertilizers and other farm inputs was likely to jeopardize food security in the region and appealed to the government to act now.

Mr. Richard Adams, Upper West Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, said there had been a stalemate in agreement between the government and fertilizer importers on prices.

He said the prices importers were quoting were on a high side and that if the government agreed on those prices, the farmers would not be able to afford the product despite the subsidies.

Mr. Adam said the government was negotiating with the importers for reasonable prices, and appealed to the farmers to be patient because the government was acting in their interest.**