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Cut in import tariffs will affect farmers
- Survey
Accra, July 7, GNA - A survey has revealed that the import
of tomato paste and chicken parts was having severe impact
on the production of local tomatoes and poultry and any
further tariff cut could drive peasant farmers out of their
source of livelihood.
Briefing the media in Accra on Friday, Ms Ute Hausmann,
Policy Officer for Food First Information and Network Action
(FIAN International), said substantial increase in tariffs
was rather needed to ensure market access and adequate
levels of income that would secure tomato and poultry
production in the country.
She stated that FIAN's fact findings conducted in tomato and
poultry producing districts in the Greater Accra Region,
namely Koluedor and Ashaiman, revealed that if Ghana fixed
its tariffs to agree with the ECOWAS Common External Tariff,
Ghana would be infringing on provisions of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights it ratified
in 2000.
Ms Hausmann noted that the survey also showed that poultry
production was at a high risk of collapsing, as most farmers
had moved from the production of broilers to eggs due to the
influx of imported chicken in markets.
She identified increase in price inputs as a major challenge
to the farmers. "All of them complained that production
costs have increased more than producer prices. For poor
peasants, the increasing gap means that they will have to
reduce their meals, since they have started running into
debts."
She said the import surge of tomato paste mostly from Italy,
Spain and Portugal was a threat to the local market, adding
that this could lead to increased poverty levels in rural
areas.
According to her, annual imports had increased from 3,269
tons in 2003 to 24,740 tons now, while the domestic
production of fresh tomatoes had stagnated or even declined.
"The pre-condition for the development of a vibrant tomato
sector would be a higher level of market protection and a
simultaneous development of processing and canning
infrastructure in the country," she added.
Ms. Hausmann said the survey also showed that Government's
support for farmers in the sectors had not been encouraging
and appealed to both Government and the international
community to support the farmers to raise household incomes
and improve food security.
She appealed to Government to create a business environment
where there was fair competition, reduce imports of chicken,
provide access to favourable credit schemes and mitigate
high cost of inputs prices.
Mr. Mohammed Adam Nashiru, President of the Peasant Farmers
Association, said despite various appeals made by the
Association to Government, the challenge still persisted.
He said it was sad to see the Ghanaian market dominated by
unwholesome imported chicken parts, saying, "these foreign
companies opt to export the meat, because it was cheaper for
them to export than to destroy them".
Mr Nashiru said the Association hoped to engage the
Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture to lobby for
the passing of a bill to make agric-finance more accessible
to farmers.
GNA
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