Onion farmers in Agbozume in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region are appealing for urgent government and private sector intervention to address the lack of a permanent market and proper storage facilities for their produce.
The farmers say the absence of a reliable market, coupled with high production costs, has left them with huge losses, as large quantities of onions go unsold and rot after harvest.
Agbozume and its surrounding communities are known as a major onion-growing hub in the Volta Region. Farming activities take place almost all year round, and many households rely solely on onion cultivation as their main source of income.
However, the situation has become dire. According to the farmers, a sack of onions that previously sold for over GH₵1,500 now goes for as low as GH₵450, a drastic drop that has rendered their efforts unprofitable. Many fear the economic hardship could drive them out of farming altogether.
One of the affected farmers, Dziwornu Benjamin, expressed his frustration in an interview with Joy News, describing how the lack of storage and market access has made it nearly impossible for farmers to sustain their livelihoods.
Workers who depend on the farms for daily income, including Forgive Korkugah and Rejoice Agogo, also lamented the situation, saying it threatens their survival and that of their families.
The Chairman of the Crop Farmers Association, Seth Hoedonu, revealed that the cost of cultivating an acre of onion farm now averages GH₵30,000, yet most farmers are unable to recover their investment after harvest due to low prices and poor sales. He called for urgent assistance to establish modern storage systems and market linkages to prevent post-harvest losses.
Supporting the farmers’ concerns, the Municipal Agric Extension Officer, Ireen Sitsofe Agbeovi, explained that although the Department of Agriculture continues to provide farmers with education, seeds, and farm inputs, many still struggle to repay their debts because they cannot sell their produce.
She emphasised the need for a comprehensive market plan and storage infrastructure to ensure that farmers reap the full benefits of their hard work.
For now, the onion farmers of Agbozume continue to count their losses, hoping that timely intervention from the government and relevant stakeholders will restore their confidence in farming, a livelihood that sustains many families in the area.
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