Orange farmers in the eastern region are complaining bitterly, particularly regarding the low sales of their products. The frustrated farmers who have been recording low sales are at a wits end as to what could help them turn the tide and reap the desired results.
Speaking to Nana Obeng Akrofi who is the Eastern regional chief farmer on the Rite Morning Ride, he revealed on the Akuafo Se Sen segment that indeed orange farmers in the eastern region need help from the government. He lamented that despite the several challenges they are forced to encounter before planting; their orange produce has low marketing opportunities in Ghana.
Nana Akrofi further pointed out that despite the fact that the orange fruit is used in the manufacture of some soft drinks as well as for other several challenges, government has nevertheless ignored its sector. He said the government only interested in and paying due attention to the cocoa sector while ignoring orange production together with other crops.
On the climatic change which affected the farming sector last year, Nana, just like other farmers has complained bitterly about the phenomenon.
In an interview with Nana Obeng Akrofi, the mixed crop farmer stated that their main challenge in the past year was the poor weather climate. According to him, farmers and the farming communities suffered a lot due this and the fact that affected crops cannot bear good fruit.
This also invariably results in a low price of their product and poor roads leading to their farms.
Nana Akrofi therefore took the opportunity to appeal to the government to come to their aid since this will motivate orange farmers to do more in their production. He called for solutions to the bad roads as well as the poor rainfall while hoping that there will be more rainfall in 2016 to improve their farming.
Source: ritefmonline.org
