Prices of maize on the Wa Central market in the Upper West Region have begun to fall. Farmers used to sell 50 kilogrammes of maize for ghc115. Prices of same have fallen to ghc105. For the farmers, even the sale of the bag at ghc105 is not guaranteed as grain sellers are inundated with maize.
The Director of Operations at Antika Farms who doubles as the Executive Council Member for the National Seed Trade Association-Ghana (NaSTAG), Seidu Abdulai Mubarik speaking to A1 Radio at Wa indicated that the fall in prices was expected.
He explained that over the years, the prices of maize and other cereals go down due to the excess supply of the products. Also, there is a reduction in demand from aggregators in the Southern part of the country, poultry farmers and feed producers as well as foreigners on the local markets collecting grains from the local market for sale in their various home countries.
“Once there is no demand and it continues like that, prices would continue to drop up until quantities in the system reduce, then we can talk about an increase in prices again,” he said.
Mr. Mubarike was however optimistic that prices would rise again sometime before the planting season this year. “Sometime between March and April, prices will rise. That has always been the case. Demand will increase and prices will begin to pick up,” he explained.
Meanwhile, according to the Director of Operations for Tieme Ndo, Moses Yangnemenga, prices of maize has seen significant increases within the municipality. He told A1 News that “maize was selling around ghc90 for the kilogramme bag. It rose to ghc110 and right now, if you go to the market, a bowl of maize is now 7ghc when it started at ghc5. Now, some farmers are selling the 50kg bag at ghc115. Some farmers are still not even willing to unless at a price of ghc120”.
Mr. Yangnemenga said for the farmers in the area, the increase in prices would represent an increase in profit and capital for the next planting season.
Tieme Ndo is a social enterprise with a special focus on agriculture. It is based in the Nandom Municipality of the Upper West Region.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
