By: Ishmael Newton Ogah
Tomato farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region of the country have hit out in anger, claiming that the persistent activities of market queens have caused them more harm than good as far as their farming activities or businesses are concerned.
This is according to the 2009 National Best Tomato farmer, Adjei Ofosu Seth during his interview on the Rite Morning Ride with Owuraku Asamoah on Monday. According to him, the activities of these market queens have not only caused them more harm than good but also gradually leading to the collapse of tomato faming in the country.
Mr. Adjei who was raging with anger said market queens in an intimidating manner always determined the prices at which their tomatoes must be sold to them and succeed in buying from poor farmers who had spent their precious time, energy and effort on their farms, at prices that they the market queens deem convenient for them which invariably turn out to be paltry.
“These market queens will buy produce from these farmers at very low prices and then in turn sell them at relatively higher price margins to the general public thereby making the biggest profit at the expense of the farmers whose hard work ensured the production of the tomatoes,” he added.
According to Mr. Adjei Ofosu Seth, the market queens have succeeded in drastically reducing the market price of tomatoes from GHC 400 to GHC 100. He further lamented that the market queens have also formed an association and where they determines when and where to buy the tomatoes from the farmers.”
According to him, the nefarious activities of the market queens was not the only major challenge, but also the lack of an irrigational scheme on their part has also become another challenge confronting them because the lack of it has sharply led to the reduction of their farm produce .
“We have confronted the authorities to come to our aid but noting has been done to tackle the challenges we are going through. We are therefore pleading with the government as well as other stakeholders and organizations to come to our aid,” he pleaded.
Source: ritefmonline.org
