Mr Anthony K Prah, Birim Central Municipal Director of Agriculture, has observed that this year’s favourable weather pattern is expected to help farmers in the Municipality, to maximize food production.

“We are hoping that the good weather pattern will continue up till the end of this month,” he indicated.

Mr Prah made the observation when he spoke with the Ghana News Agency Media Auditing and Development Tracking team at Akyem Oda.

The GNA, STAR-Ghana Media Auditing and Tracking of Development Projects is an initiative launched to promote participatory democracy, social accountability and good governance.

Mr Prah said cassava and vegetables were currently in abundant supply in the area.

He, however, noted that, the farmers are not deriving the much expected benefits from their abundant harvest due to market forces.

Mr Prah mentioned in particular poor road network to the farm gate, which makes it difficult for the farmers to transport their produce to the marketing centres for sale.

“As a result , market women who have the means, buy the farm produce at very low prices at the farm gate for sale at the market at much higher prices, thereby making abnormal profits at the expense of the farmers. ’’

He also indicated that lack of subsidized fertilizer was hampering the efforts of the farmers, as the cost of food production kept on rising.

Mr Prah said, his outfit was intensifying education on the need for vegetable farmers to use the right chemicals to spray their crops to avoid 'residual chemicals in the vegetables.”