Farmers in the Ashanti regional town of Gyankobaa, one of Ghana’s largest ginger production hubs, continue to incur post-harvest losses as a promised ginger preservation factory sits in ruin.
The community in the Atwima Nwabiagya district has a farming population of about 29,700 representing 52% females and 48% males.
The Gyankobaa community is regarded as the largest production hub of ginger with production estimated at 260,000Mt per annum.
Agricultural activities in the district cut across the crop sector, livestock, processing, and marketing.
In 2020, government commissioned a ginger factory under its 1D1F initiative for farmers to preserve the chunk of ginger produced.
But after the joys that greeted the occasion, the factory now sits amongst weeds whilst farmers apply conventional methods which are yielding fewer profits.
Ezekiel Oppong, a ginger farmer at Gyankobaa, has been in the farming business for a decade now.
“The factory not in existence is affecting us deeply. We only wish and hope government can do something about the factory for us”.
The 26-year-old points out some significant losses the community is making due to the inability to make the factory operational.
“Because we do not have any processing factory, market women buy it at cheaper prices and we are not making a profit as we should”.
Farmers in the community say the lack of a factory to help preserve the ginger is hampering production and their financial gains.
Kofi Asare, who has been in the supply of ginger, is worried.
“I am worried because of the state of our business. Unlike cocoa farmers, we are really not benefiting”.
The District Chief Executive Officer, Michael Amoah Awuku, says government is aware of the plight of these farmers.
He attributes the delays in reopening the factory for use to the current economic challenges.
Mr Awuku, however, pleaded with government to institute a fixed price policy for producers and consumers.
As these farmers anticipate bountiful harvests, they will continue to be in wait to witness yet a fully functional ginger factory to end their compounded woes.
