The cost of foodstuffs has risen sharply, shocking many Ghanaians. Numerous individuals have turned to social media to voice their worries about the high cost of living, particularly as items like tomatoes, onions, and peppers are being sold at exorbitant prices.
Businessman John Dumelo joined the discussion, attributing the high prices of tomatoes, onions, and peppers to insufficient production during the dry season.
He urged the government to make substantial investments in irrigation for farmers to utilize during the dry season, stressing that Ghanaian farmers can grow these crops if provided with the necessary resources.
Dumelo highlighted that neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have invested in irrigation, leading to increased production of these crops. He stressed that Ghana should cease importing millions of dollars’ worth of tomatoes and onions from these countries and instead support local farmers.
In a tweet observed by GhanaWeb Business, John Dumelo stated, “Invest heavily in irrigation for dry season farming. The reason pepper, tomatoes, and onions are expensive now is because we don’t produce enough during the dry season. Our neighbors (Burkina, Mali, Niger) have seen this gap and have invested heavily in irrigation to produce these food items for us during the dry season.”
The entrepreneur also mentioned, “The rains have started. Farmers have planted and are waiting to harvest around July/August. Prices will fall soon, not due to any special government intervention but due to simultaneous harvesting by the majority of farmers. We can’t keep having these cyclical events. Things need to change.”
“Let’s invest heavily in irrigation so we have some price stability all year round. We can’t keep giving millions of dollars to our neighboring farmers to import their tomatoes and onions while we (Ghanaian farmers) have the capacity to cultivate the same crops. Irrigation is the way forward!! #Idey4u #GodblessGhana,” his tweet read in part.
The decline of the Cedi against major trading currencies has also been linked to the rise in the cost of goods and services.