Drought Threatens Food Crops In N/R

Salaga (N/R), Aug. 19, - Farmers in the Northern Region are anxious about the erratic rainfall which is threatening their crops, especially maize and rice. Most parts of the region have not had rains for the past two weeks which the farmers say is very unusual in the month of August. Travelling along the Tamale-Yendi and Tamale-Bolgatanga roads, one sees and evidence of the drought - the withering maize crops, most of which have just started tasselling. Rice in the valleys is also drying up. Farmers around Yendi and Bimbilla are anxiously waiting for the rains to enable them to harvest their yams. The farmers who spoke to GRi said if the rains do not come within the next week, food production in the region would be adversely affected. An agricultural extension officer, Mr Ahmed Bawa, said farmers who will have good harvest are those who cropped early-yielding varieties in valleys. A maxi-bag of new maize is sold in Tamale for about 50,000 cedis.