From Ernest Best Anane, Agona-Ashanti
MR. KWASI Oppong, Manager of K.O farms at Dawu in the Sekyere South District of Ashanti Region, has pleaded with government to subsidize poultry inputs to boost local production and cut down the country’s importation bill by the end of the year.
The 2013 District Best farmer said there are lots of policies the government could implement to boost local production and help the local farmer realizes his dreams.
Mr. Oppong was reacting to recent remarks by Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Livestock, that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) intends to apply strict enforcement policy of poultry and livestock importation as part of measures in reducing the importation of the products to boost local production and cut down the country’s importation bill by the end of the year.
He said the government must first consider the significant problems the local farmers are facing and address them to enable them have the capacity to produce sufficiently to feed the Ghanaian populace.
According to him, there was no ready market for the local farmers, yet the cost of poultry inputs are very expensive when compared with the foreign ones, which are cheaper, hence the patronage of imported products.
The chief farmer also entreated the government to assist farmers, by importing yellow maize at lower cost, but with high protein to boost the local maize farmers to produce more for the poultry industry.
Mr. Oppong, who is into Coconuts, Cassava, Yams, plantains and birds production revealed that he has now acquired 50 hectares of land at Bonoso near Mampong to enable him add cattle rearing to his production line.
He pleaded with the government to revive the Cocoa mass spraying programme, which is currently moribund to offset losses incurred by farmers after harvesting.
According to him, the exercise had declined and that it was conducted just twice the whole of last year.
He described manure as a best farming practice and advised colleague farmers to also practice the application of manure in lieu of fertilizer, when it is not available, to reduce the over dependence on fertilizer for production.