President for Rice Farmers co-operative at Asutsuare in the Shai-Osudoku district in the Greater Accra Region, Mr. Sampson Tettey Ekpa Kwabena has revealed that post-harvest losses are their greatest threats confronting them.
Mr. Ekpa who revealed this during the Agrotech show on Rite FM said rice farmers in the district said though in the previous year, farmers enjoyed farming on designed plots, enjoyed enough water for their farms, had energy farms as well as they enjoying fertile lands, what worked against them was the lack of inputs and machines to use during the season.
The president added that last year, they were able to produce about five thousand tons of rice which was a good output. Unfortunately, about 50 of that went wasted due largely to post-harvest losses. He explained that this was largely due to the fact that they did not engage in the use of proper harvesting materials.
Mr. Ekpa meanwhile said the co-operative would not depend solely on the government for help because they should be in the position to provide for and even manage their own affairs as well while acknowledging that the government has done its best.
Source: ritefmonline.org
