The government has subsidised the prices of seeds for farmers in the country this planting season under its flagship programme, Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

According to RMG Ghana Limited, one of the suppliers for the PFJ programme, seeds like pannar (pan 12, pan 53) and lake 601 which cost GHS250 per acre have been subsidised by the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and now cost GHS30.

The Manager for RMG Ghana Limited for the Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions, Eric Abeiko Cudjoe told Class News northern regional correspondent Mohammed Gadafi that the company is expected to supply 900 metric tonnes of seeds to farmers across the country.

Mr Cudjoe underscored the need for the Ghanaian farmer to maximise their productivity.

He said: “We can’t continue for the farmer to be suffering all the time using the OPVs, at the end of the season, they only get two or five bags and that is why all the time we make sure the farmers get the right inputs.”

Mr Cudjoe said farmers rarely patronise the hybrid seeds because of the high cost but the demand for hybrid seeds this year is high due to the subsidy. “That even tells you that farmers are willing to buy the seeds, they know the importance of a quality seed, planting a hybrid seed, but I think maybe they were also hindered by the fact that the seeds are a little bit expensive. So, this year under the PFJ when the government subsidised the price and the message got to the farmers, in fact, they have bought almost all the seeds.”

Mr Cudjoe advised farmers that despite acquiring the seeds at cheaper prices, they must not fail to apply the right protocols – the time of planting, the time of applying fertiliser - or they may not enjoy the full benefits.

He charged the farmers to always be on the lookout and not allow dangers like the fall army worm to destroy their farms before they begin to implore control mechanisms.

He noted RMG Ghana would also assist farmers with agronomic training and technical support in order to improve productivity.

With the hybrid seeds, Mr Cudjoe said the farmers are projected to get five to six metric tonnes of maize per acre, which is equivalent to a minimum of 40 to 50 mini bags if they adhere to the right farming practices.