Farmers in the Bunkpurugu District in the Northern Region have called on the government, parliament, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agric, and Ghana Standard Board to help standardize the scales for measuring their goods especially grains.

At a press conference held by the Manful Piinu Farmers Association, the Mr. Henry Konlan, Executive Director contended that farmers are always at a disadvantage when it comes to selling their produce because every buyer uses its own scale which will benefit them (buyers). As such the farmers do not benefit from their toils. They noted that they are being cheated and this unfortunate development has gone on for far too long and has to be addressed now.  

"Apart from using over sized bowls and sacks, market men and women also use the full length of their arms to support the size of the bowl when measuring the grains, this subsequently leads to the seller or the farmer being cheated, because grains/cereals that are supposed to be measured, say five bowls will end up measuring three or two and half bowls", they added.

The danger according to the association goes beyond farmers not getting enough benefits from their productions but more importantly it has the tendency of destroying farming as a business venture in various communities as most farmers as losing interest in the agriculture and also defeats the country’s quest to using agriculture to dealing with the alarming unemployment rate in the country. Secondly, it seriously affects the District Assembly’s revenue as most farmers are unable to pay their taxes and levies to the assembly, not to even mention payment of loans.

When farmers lose interest in farming, food security in the district would also be under threat leading to importation of food items to feed the people and this comes with high cost which greater percentage of the population cannot afford.

The association also called for the establishment of designated Grain and Cereals markets where standard weighing scales would be used to determine the quantity and prices for farm produce. This would enable farmers in this part of the region to be linked to the National Food Buffer Stock Company to mob up produce of farmers in the district and reduce post harvest loses.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com