Maize glut in Ashanti region

An unusual glut on the maize market in the Ashanti Region has pushed prices to their lowest in recent times and threatened the finances of farmers in the region.

Agricultural officers have expressed fear that the situation could extend deep into the year and impose serious financial stress on farmers, many of whom sought financial assistance from various sources to finance their production.

They attributed the situation to various interventions that had boosted maize production and the bird flu scare, which had affected the poultry industry, one of the key sectors in domestic maize consumption.

Sources at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture told the paper, in separate interviews that the Government had provided funds to repair malfunctioning silos and that they were ready to receive maize from farmers for storage.

The glut comes after the region and the entire country experienced a serious shortage of the produce, which pushed prices to a record high of ?515,000 per bag.