Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto
MINISTER FOR Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has said the country remains food secure despite the difficulties during the cropping season in 2021.
According to him, this is based on analysis of the ministry, adding that “for the current year 2022, the ministry is at the concluding stage of the procurement process, regarding subsidised fertilisers and improved seeds for farmers.”
Answering questions on the floor of Parliament yesterday, Dr. Akoto explained that the reported shortage of fertilisers during the 2021 cropping season was due to a number of factors.
“I must place on record that no district in the country experienced shortages of subsidised fertilisers in isolation. The limited quantities of fertilisers available were a country-wide problem, caused by factors beyond the control of the ministry,” he stated.
He said the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on international prices of fertilisers were among the factors, intimating, “Indeed, some finished products and raw materials experienced over 100% price increase.”
The minister asserted that the significant increases in freight charges and their deterring effect on international business, including importation of fertilisers, and the late payment of fertiliser companies contracted by the ministry for the 2020 cropping season due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobilisation of government revenue, were part of the factors.
He also pointed out that some companies were not able to secure credit facilities in the country to finance their businesses due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the banking sector.
“In spite of the inadequate availability of subsidised fertilisers, the ministry worked tirelessly with the participating companies to ensure that the limited quantities were available in all districts, where the products were needed,” he noted.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House