FARMERS, MIDDLEMEN HOARDING MAIZE AT EJURA

Ashanti Today's checks in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality of Ashanti has proven that there is enough maize available on the open market for public and industrial consumption. 

The problem, however, is the deliberate hoarding by some individuals to create artificial shortage of the commodity with the intention of stimulating price hikes. Some aggregators and farmers are asking the government not to import maize in order not to cause a maize glut in the system and compromise the price of the commodity.

The issue

There have been speculations from across the country in the last few days about purported shortage of maize on the market with poultry farmers crying out the loudest. 

The concerns of the local poultry farmers stem from the fact that feed for their birds are mainly maize based and that a shortage of the product has a dire consequence on their production and also the cost of poultry and poultry products.

Ejura in National Food Production

The Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality is an acclaimed major maize production hub in the country such that the situation there provides a fair view of the national production outlook. 

Information from the Regional Agric Directorate earlier indicated to the Ashanti Today that the problem of fall army worms invasion on basically maize farms cost the region about 15 per cent less maize production during the last farming season. 

This situation however has minimal impact on the overall production thereby giving no cause for alarm.

The Prevailing Situation

 A visit to Ejura on Monday, May 15, which happened to be the town’s Market Day, showed that farmers had brought their maize produce from various parts of the Municipality for sale. 

While some trucks were off loading onto the market, others were ready to cart the produce to other parts of the country for distribution to the consuming public. 

Indeed, there was no indication of a maize shortage, at least from the market situation. It was also learnt that the prices of the product have been stable in the last month. 

While the maxi bag of the yellow corn has been selling at 180 Ghana Cedis, the same quantity of the white corn is being bought for 200 Ghana Cedis. 

Market watchers say, for the prices to remain stable for almost one month is ample evidence that there is no shortage of the commodity in the system.

The Farmers

 Nana Sekan Bonsi is a woman farmer who has been in the in the business for more than 20 years and knows the trend of the marketing situation.

 She told Ashanti Today that despite the shortfall in her yield per acre as a result of the fall army worms, she still has enough maize for sale. Nana Sekan Bonsi, who is also a traditional leader, said she cultivated about 50 acres of maize last season and harvested eight bags per acre instead of the anticipated 10 as a result of the Fall Army Worms attack. 

Nonetheless, she said she has enough maize in stock and that she was in the market at the time we arrived there to find out the prevailing prices.

Nana Sekan Bonsi therefore discounted claims of maize shortage on the market. She asked government not to import maize since that could create a glut with a potential to reduce the prices of the commodity.

Her assertion was corroborated by the Secretary to the Coalition of Farmer Based Organizations at Ejura, Adam Mahama, who is himself a farmer.

 Mr. Mahama, who is always in touch with the farmers due to his position, said there is enough maize from the last planting season. However, some people have deliberately held the commodity from the market.

The Hoarding

Another observation made during the visit was that some people playing the role of middlemen are hoarding large quantities of maize in their houses to deliberately create artificial shortage to stimulate price hikes. 

One such people is Issah Adam who has turned his two private residences into stores for the hoarding. 

The one at Dromankoma, a community about two kilometres from the Ejura township, is holding one thousand bags of the maize. 

Adam revealed also that his other house at Hiawoanwu is holding about four thousand bags.

 He explained that, the cost he has incurred in his business so far, he will run at a loss if he sells the maize at the current prices.

 Another reasons for creating the artificial shortage he said, was to stop the poultry farmers from cheating on the farmers since they always buy the commodity at cheap prices from the farmers but rather sell it at exorbitant prices.

And from officialdom

The out-going Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipal Agric Director, Yeboah Asuama, stressed that there is no shortage of maize on the market and expressed surprised at the speculations. 

He agreed with the farmers and aggregators for withholding the commodity from the market since they also need to maximize their profit

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mohammed Salisu Bamba said for the artificial shortage to stop is not bad since the priority of government is to ensure that farmers enjoy the fruits of their labour.

 The MCE blamed the speculation on his political opponents who, he claimed are dabbling in propaganda. 

Going forward, Mr. Bamba suggested to the central government to build more storage facilities in the municipality to assure the market of availability of maize at all times.