Accra, Feb 27, GNA- The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is intensifying radio broadcast of prevailing prices of food items to the rural areas to enhance the efficiency of the marketing system. This would help Food Brokers to move into such areas to buy the produce for sale to the consuming public.
Major Courage Quashiga, (RTD) Minister of Food and Agriculture told parliament on Friday when Mr. Gershon Gbediame NDC-Nkwanta asked him of what measures the ministry intends taking to assist farmers in the Nkwanta constituency to access market for their farm produce.
The Minister said the Ministry has signed a contract with the food Crops Development programme and Volta Radio to broadcast the availability of farm produce and the prevailing prices of agricultural commodities once every week in the region.
Major Quashiga said farmers in the Nkwanta area were being encouraged to form co-operatives under the AgSSIP component Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs) in a bid to improve their bargaining and organising joint marketing of their produce outside the area.
He said farmers in the area who are mainly in the production of yam and cassava are also being advised to add high value to exportable crops such as groundnuts and sorghum in order to avoid glut which occur annually.
"The Ministry is promoting alternative utilization of some of these crops particularly cassava into flour for the bakery and pastry industries to create ready market for the produce."
He said under the President Special Initiatives (PSIs) on cassava the country has been divide into six zones and Nkwanta district falls in zone four for the establishment of cassava starch processing companies, adding that the ministry has been engaged in consultation with Department of Feeder Roads and District Assemblies to provide access roads to producing areas and improve the present network of feeder roads.
