Rice farmers call for ready market and reduced imports as rice rots in storage

Rice farmers in the Asutuare region, along with surrounding areas, are urgently urging the government to take action after discovering that vast quantities of their harvested rice are rotting in storage due to a lack of buyers. Over the past two years, thousands of bags of rice have remained unsold in warehouses, significantly impacting the farmers' financial stability and their ability to repay loans or invest in future farming seasons.

This pressing issue was highlighted during a recent visit by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who toured rice farms and held an interactive session with local farmers in Asutuare and Akuse.

The farmers, who are part of the Asutuare-Akuse Irrigation Scheme, expressed their desperation during the meeting, emphasizing that the importation of rice continues to outcompete local varieties, making it difficult for them to sell their crops and maintain their livelihoods. They are calling on the government to take immediate action, such as stepping in to purchase excess produce, reducing rice imports, and implementing stricter controls to safeguard local farmers' interests.

The farmers firmly believe that curbing imports and prioritizing local consumption are vital steps in revitalizing the domestic rice industry, securing food security, and preventing the collapse of local agribusinesses.

Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the urgent need for the government to address this problem and pledged his support for revamping the agricultural sector if elected. His economic vision includes prioritizing agricultural development as the cornerstone of his administration's national agenda. He indicated that an NPP government led by him would restore farm input subsidies to lower production costs for farmers and introduce stronger, targeted interventions to help local food producers increase yields and strengthen the country's agricultural value chain.