Maize farmers appeal for storage facilities

Maize farmers in the Dormaa Municipality have appealed to the Municipal Assembly to provide them with improved storage facilities to prevent post-harvest loses.

According to the farmers, 10 to 30 percent of post harvest loses of maize were as a result of the lack of proper storage facilities.

Mr Benjamin Yeboah, Acting Chairman of Nsuhia Odonaye Co-operative Farmers and Marketing Society, made the appeal on behalf of the farmers at a stakeholder’s workshop at Dormaa-Ahenkro at the weekend.

The workshop was organised by the society with support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC) and attended by more than 300 maize farmers in the municipality.

Mr Yeboah said because of the lack of storage facilities in the area, the maize farmers were always compelled to sell their produce at cheaper prices whenever there was a glut.

He said the maize was always infested with weevils and other pests during harvest which reduced its value.

Mr Ofori Ampofo, a farmer, said the high cost of improved seedlings was also a major concern to the farmers.

He said because the farmers could not afford to buy improved seedlings, they went in for local varieties which could not yield more.

Mr Ampofo appealed to government to subsidize the hybrid seedlings to allow farmers to be able to access them to increase productivity.

Source: GNA