Maize farmers in the Atebubu/Amantin Municipality have raised concerns over a sharp fall in maize prices, warning that the situation is threatening their livelihoods and could undermine local food security without urgent government intervention.
According to Mr Dickson Williams Agyei, Chairman of the Atebubu Area Farmers Association, the price of a bag of maize in the municipality has dropped dramatically from about GH¢1,200 to GH¢400, leaving many farmers unable to recover their production costs.
Mr Agyei made the remarks during the association’s New Year meeting held in Atebubu, describing the price decline as devastating for farmers who rely on maize cultivation as their primary source of income.
“The situation has pushed many farmers into debt,” he said, explaining that producers were struggling to repay loans and cover basic expenses linked to land preparation, inputs and harvesting.
He noted that some farmers were already considering scaling down or abandoning maize production altogether as a coping strategy, a move he warned could worsen the situation in the long term.
“If this problem is not addressed immediately, maize production in this area could collapse,” Mr Agyei cautioned. “That would have serious implications for food availability, because most households here depend heavily on maize.”
To stabilise the sector, Mr Agyei appealed for government intervention, particularly in the form of input support, improved access to affordable seeds and measures to reduce production costs.
He also called on authorities to explore export opportunities and structured markets that would help farmers secure fair and stable prices for their produce.
Mr Agyei stressed that without timely support, declining producer prices could discourage farming activities and deepen rural poverty in the municipality.
