Pepper Farmers in Kumbungu & Tolon District Decry Low Prices, Call for Market Intervention

Pepper farmers in the Tolon and Kumbungu Districts of the Northern Region are raising concerns over the lack of a viable market for their produce, as they struggle to sell their crops at fair prices. According to the farmers, traders who visit their communities to purchase the pepper for resale are buying the produce at drastically low prices, leaving the farmers in a difficult financial situation.

Speaking to Zaa News, the farmers lamented that the price of a bag of pepper, which used to sell for as high as 600 Ghana cedis, has now plummeted to as low as 150 or even 100 Ghana cedis. This sharp price drop, they say, has left them unable to recover the costs of cultivation, let alone make a profit.

“We put in a lot of hard work and resources into growing the pepper, but now the traders are buying it at prices that are too low for us to sustain our livelihoods. It’s becoming impossible to continue farming under these conditions,” one farmer said.

In response to the concerns, a trader, Mustapha Ibrahim, outlined the reasons behind the low purchasing prices. According to him, the current market conditions, including high transportation costs and a surplus of pepper in other regions, are affecting their ability to buy the produce at higher prices. He added that there is also a reduced demand for pepper in the larger markets, which has contributed to the price drop.

The farmers are now appealing to relevant authorities to intervene and regulate the market to ensure that they receive fair prices for their produce. They are also calling for government support in finding alternative markets for their pepper, both locally and internationally, to alleviate the situation.

Without swift intervention, many fear the ongoing crisis could lead to severe financial hardships for pepper farmers in the region, potentially affecting the agricultural economy of the Kumbungu District.

Story by Ibrahim Angaanmeni Alhassan/zaaradio.com