MAKE FETILISER FREE FOR FARMERS...Government urged (BACK PAGE)

THE 1998 second national best farmer, Mr Nicholas Fatoh, has called on the government to make fertiliser free for farmers to help achieve the nation’s agricultural objectives.
He said the previous government offered a subsidy of 50 per cent on fertiliser at a time the world price of crude oil had risen to $150 per barrel.
Now that the price of crude oil had reduced to $50, it should be possible for farmers to get a better deal, he noted.
“In my view, with the prevailing price, fertiliser could be supplied for virtually free to farmers to boost agricultural production,” he stated.
Mr Fatoh was speaking to the Daily Graphic on prospects and challenges of agriculture in the Volta Region as the farming season approaches.
The rainfall pattern looked promising, he stated, adding that with all things being equal it could be a good farming season if the necessary inputs were made available on time.
He, however, cautioned against the proliferation of Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs) some of which he said were not properly organised to operate in the interest of farmers.
Mr Fatoh, who was also the best Volta Regional farmer in 1985, said another challenge facing farmers in the country was marketing and suggested that warehouses should be constructed in every region to preserve surplus food.
He urged the government to check the influx of foreign chemicals and identify them to eliminate those that were toxic to the soil.
Another prominent commercial farmer who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity alleged that fertiliser subsidy had opened the doors for some people to extort money from farmers, adding that it had created artificial shortage and that agricultural extension officers kept on giving flimsy excuses.
He said most people involved in agricultural production lived in abject poverty due to the lack of marketing for agricultural products, which left farmers at the mercy of middlemen who behaved as if the products had no cost of production.
Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Daily Graphic indicated that many farmers had cleared their lands and were preparing them in readiness for the season.